Charles Forsberg

Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

77 Massachusetts Ave; Bld. 42-207a; Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: (617) 324-4010; Email: cforsber@mit.edu

New Technologies: Hydrogen

MIT Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems

2009 World Nuclear University Institute

Cambridge, England

Wednesday July 8, 2009

File: Nuclear Renewable Futures; Great Britain July09

Overview

Hydrogen May be the Future of Liquid Fuels,

Metals, and Peak-Electricity Production

Hydrogen Production Technologies Match

Nuclear Energy Characteristics

Nuclear-Hydrogen May be the Transformational

Energy Technology and the Enabling

Technology for Large-Scale Use of Renewables

Many Questions Remain

2

Outline

Perspective on Nuclear Hydrogen Futures

Nuclear Hydrogen Applications

Peak Electricity

Nuclear-Biomass Liquid Fuels

Materials Production

Nuclear Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen: An Intrinsically Large-Scale

Technology that Matches Nuclear Power

Conclusions

3

Perspectives on

Nuclear Hydrogen Futures

4

Energy Futures May Be Determined

By Two Sustainability Goals

No Imported Crude Oil No Climate Change

Tropic of Cancer

Arabian Sea

Gulf of Oman

Persian

Red

Sea

Gulf of Aden

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Caspian

Sea

Aral Sea

Lake Van

Lake Urmia

Lake Nasser

T'ana Hayk

Gulf of Suez Gulf of Aqaba

Strait of Hormuz Gulf

Suez Canal

Saudi Arabia

Iran Iraq

Egypt

Sudan

Ethiopia

Somalia

Djibouti

Yemen

Oman

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Qatar

Bahrain

Socotra (Yem en)

Turkey

Syria

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Romania

Bulgaria

Greece

Cyprus

Lebanon

Israel

Jordan

Russia

Eritrea

Georgia

Armenia Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan

Ukraine

0 200

400 miles

400

200 0

600 kilometers

Middle East

Tropic of Cancer

Arabian Sea

Gulf of Oman

Persian

Red

Sea

Gulf of Aden

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Caspian

Sea

Aral Sea

Lake Van

Lake Urmia

Lake Nasser

T'ana Hayk

Gulf of Suez Gulf of Aqaba

Strait of Hormuz Gulf

Suez Canal

Saudi Arabia

Iran

Iraq

Egypt

Sudan

Ethiopia

Somalia

Djibouti

Yemen

Oman

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Qatar

Bahrain

Socotra (Yem en)

Turkey

Syria

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Romania

Bulgaria

Greece

Cyprus

Lebanon

Israel

Jordan

Russia

Eritrea

Georgia

Armenia Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan

Ukraine

0 200

400 miles

400

200 0

600 kilometers

5

Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Photo provided by the National Snow and Ice

Data Center

World Oil Discoveries Are Down and

World Oil Consumption Is Up

The Era of Conventional Oil Is Ending

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Dis

co

veri

es

(b

illio

n b

bl/

year)

Pro

du

cti

on

(b

illio

n b

bl/year)

Discovery

Consumption

Oil and Gas J.; Feb. 21, 2005; Most projections indicate one to two decades of large swings in oil prices in the transition off of oil

6

Massive Challenge If Fossil Fuel Use

Is Limited to Prevent Climate Change

U.S. Goal: 80% Reduction in

Greenhouse Gas Releases by 2050

7

Hydrogen Can Replace Fossil

Fuels For Many Applications

Hydrogen is an energy carrier Today: Produced using fossil fuels

Can be produced from water using electricity and/or heat from nuclear or renewable energy sources

Hydrogen from nuclear and renewable sources may replace fossil fuels where its unique chemical characteristics give it unique capabilities Peak electricity production

Liquid fuels production

Metals production

Hydrogen is unlikely to replace fossil fuels as a one-to-one substitute: Not a substitute heat source

8

Hydrogen Production Today

Major hydrogen markets:

Ammonia fertilizer production

Conversion of heavy oil and coal into liquid fuels

Primary production method

Steam reforming of fossil fuels

Two step process

CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2

CO + H2O → CO2 + H2

Fossil fuels are burnt to provide the heat to drive

the chemical process

Energy required to make hydrogen is dependent

upon the feedstock

Natural gas: Chemically reduced hydrogen

(Lowest energy input to make hydrogen)

Coal: Hydrogen deficient

Water: Oxidized hydrogen

9

Today: Alkaline Electrolysis

Commercial technology

2H2O + electricity → 2H2 + O2

Mid-term: High-Temperature

Electrolysis (HTE) based on solid-

oxide fuel cell operated in reverse

2H2O + electricity + heat → 2H2 + O2

Electrical efficiency up to 100% LHV

plus heat requirement

Long-term: Thermochemical cycles

2H2O + heat → 2H2 + O2

Nuclear Energy Hydrogen Production

10

Future Markets:

Peak Electricity Production

11

12

Electricity Demand Varies

By the Day, Week, and Season

Example: Hourly load forecasts for 3 weeks in Illinois

spring

summer

winter

weekendWorkweek

12

Today a Mixture of Technologies Are

Used To Minimize Electricity Costs

High-capital-cost low-

operating-cost plants

operate at full output Nuclear

Wind and Solar

Low-capital-cost high-

operating-cost plants

operate with variable

outputs to match electricity

production with demand

Fossil plants 13

Fossil Fuel Characteristics Enable Its

Use For Peak Electricity Production

Fossil fuels are inexpensive to store (coal piles, oil

tanks, etc.)

Only two options for peak electricity production Fossil fuel (Usually natural gas)

Hydroelectricity (Available in only some locations)

What replaces peak electricity from fossil fuels

if fossil fuel use is limited or expensive?

Systems to convert fossil fuels to heat or electricity have low capital costs

14

Electricity Generation and Demand

in a Low-Carbon World

Generation Nuclear: Not match seasonal variation

Wind: Regional resource that peaks in the

spring—time of low electric demand

Solar: Regional resource with production

match in southwest U.S. and a mismatch

elsewhere

Fossil fuels: Regional resource

dependent on sequestration sites

All low-carbon options have

high-capital cost and low-

operating costs—expensive for

variable electricity production 15

Requirements To Minimize Electricity

Costs in a Low-Carbon World

Capital intensive nuclear and renewables facilities

must operate at maximum output to minimize

energy generation costs

Require methods to match electricity production

with electricity demand

Daily swing can be met with many storage technologies

such as pump hydro storage and batteries

New technologies required for seasonal (fall, winter,

spring, and summer) electricity storage

16

Fuel Cells, Steam Turbines, or

Other TechnologyH2

Production

Nuclear

Reactor

2H2O

Heatand/or

Electricity

2H2 + O 2

Underground

Hydrogen/Oxygen

(Optional)

Storage

Relative Capital Cost/KW

Facility

$$$$ $$ $ $$

Energy

Production

Rate vs TimeTime Time Time

Constant Constant Variable

Fuel Cells, Steam Turbines, or

Other TechnologyH2

Production

Nuclear

Reactor

2H2O

Heatand/or

Electricity

2H2 + O 2

Underground

Hydrogen/Oxygen

(Optional)

Storage

Relative Capital Cost/KW

Facility

$$$$ $$ $ $$

Energy

Production

Rate vs TimeTime Time Time

Constant VariableVariable

Electricity To Grid

Base-Load Operation

Nuclear Peak Electricity Systems

17

Example Nuclear Hydrogen Peak

Electricity System

High-Temperature

Electrolysis / Fuel Cell

Hydrogen and

Oxygen StorageLight-Water Reactor

Nuclear Power Plant

↓

Off-Peak

Electricity

and Heat

→

→H2 / O2

Off-Peak

Peak Electricity

↓

↓H2 / O2

Oxy-Hydrogen

Steam Turbine

←

H2 / O2

←Peak

18

Today: Alkaline Electrolysis

2H2O + electricity → 2H2 + O2

Mid-term: High-Temperature

Electrolysis (HTE)

2H2O + electricity + heat → 2H2 + O2

Long-term: Thermochemical cycles

2H2O + heat → 2H2 + O2

Nuclear Energy

Hydrogen Production

19

Low-Cost Hydrogen / Oxygen Storage

for Weeks or Months

Underground storage is the only cheap hydrogen storage technology today—but only viable on a large scale (match nuclear)

Commercial hydrogen storage technology based on natural-gas storage technology

Same technology applicable to oxygen storage but not demonstrated for oxygen

←Chevron Phillips↑Clemens Terminal for H2

160 x 1000 ft cylinder salt cavern

Many geology options 20

Today: Gas Turbine

Mid-term High-temperature fuel cell

High-temperature electrolysis system operating in reverse

Fuel cell / gas turbine (Siemens) ~70% efficiency

Siemens

Oxy-hydrogen steam cycle

Peak Electricity Production

From Stored Hydrogen

Requires High Efficiency and Low Capital Cost

(System Operates a Limited Number of Hours per Year)

21Courtesy of Clean Energy Systems

A Single System May Convert

Electricity to Hydrogen and Back

Combined High-Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) – Fuel Cell (FC)

Peak power requires low capital costs

Capital cost associated with:

Conversion of electricity to hydrogen

Conversion of hydrogen to electricity

High-temperature electrolysis units can

be operated as high-temperature fuel

cells (same technology)

Minimize capital costs with dual use

Technology under development

22

Oxy-Hydrogen Steam Cycle for

Peak Electricity Production

High-temperature

(1500°C) steam cycle

2H2+ O2 → Steam

Low cost

No boiler

High efficiency (+70%)

Lowest capital-cost

peaking system

Unique feature: Direct

production of high-

pressure high-

temperature steam

Steam

1500º C

Hydrogen

Water

PumpCondenser

Burner

Steam

Turbine

In

Out

CoolingWater

Generator

Oxygen

23

Oxy-Hydrogen Combustor Replaces Steam

Boiler: Lower Cost & Higher Efficiency

But Requires Hydrogen and Oxygen As Feed

Coal Boiler to

Produce SteamOxy-Hydrogen Combustor

to Produce Steam24

Courtesy of Clean Energy Systems

Peak-Power Production Economics

The price of peak electricity is several times that of base-load electricity

Requirements for peak electricity production Low capital costs because of the limited number of

hours equipment is operated each year

Higher fuel costs are acceptable

Likely future peak-power requirements No greenhouse gas emissions

Large capacity to provide backup for renewables when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine

Cover seasonal variations in electricity demand

Potential match with nuclear-hydrogen systems25

Variable Demand Results in Variable

Marginal Electricity Prices

Price vs. Hours/year

Dollars/MW(e)-h

Ho

urs

/year

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

<5

5-1

0

10-1

5

15-2

0

20-2

5

25-3

0

30-3

5

35-4

0

40-4

5

45-5

0

50-5

5

55-6

0

60-6

5

65-7

0

70-7

5

75-8

0

80-8

5

85-9

0

90-9

5

>95

FY 2004 FERC Marginal Price ($/MWh)

Data for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Incentive to Use Low-Price Electricity for Hydrogen Production

26

Future Markets:

Nuclear-Biomass Liquid Fuels

27

Urban Residues

We Will Not Run Out of Liquid Fuels —

Chemical Engineers Can Convert Any

Biomass or Fossil Fuel into Gasoline

But the Less a Feedstock

Looks Like Gasoline, the

More Energy it Takes in the

Conversion Process

Agricultural Residues

Coal

28

Vehicle Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Versus

Fossil-Fuel Feedstock to Make Diesel Fuel

No Problem Replacing Oil; But, Massive Increases in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Illinois #6 Coal Baseline

Pipeline Natural Gas

Wyoming Sweet Crude Oil

Venezuelan Syncrude

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Gre

enh

ouse Im

pa

cts

(g C

O2-e

q/m

ile in S

UV

)

Conversion/Refining

Transportation/Distribution

End Use Combustion

Extraction/Production

Business As Usual

Using Fuel

Making and

Delivering of Fuel

(Fisher-TropschLiquids)

(Fisher-TropschLiquids)

Sou

rce o

f Gre

en

hou

se

Impacts

←N

ucle

ar

En

erg

y

Can

Su

pp

ly

←Feedstock29

Three Inputs into Liquid Fuels

Products:Ethanol

Biofuels

Diesel

Feedstock Conversion Process

Carbon:Fossil fuel

Biomass

Energy:Fossil fuel

Biomass

Nuclear

HydrogenFossil Fuel

Biomass

Nuclear

The Greater the External Energy Input in Heat and Hydrogen,

the More Fuel per Ton of Fossil Fuel or Biomass Input30

Biomass Fuels Are the

Low-Carbon Liquid Fuel Option

But, Conversion Processes Require Energy

CxHy + (X + y

4 )O2

CO2 + ( y2

)H2OLiquid Fuels

AtmosphericCarbon Dioxide

Fuel Factory

Biomass

Cars, Trucks, and Planes

Energy

BiomassNuclearOther

31

Logging ResiduesAgricultural Residues

Urban Residues

Biomass: Worldwide Resources

Measured in Billions of Tons per Year

Without Significantly Impacting Food, Fiber, and Timber

Algae and Kelp (Ocean)

But, The Capability to Replace Oil Is Dependent Upon the Conversion Process

Liquid Fuels From Biomass Depends

Upon the Bio-refinery Energy Source

Convert to Diesel Fuel with Outside

Hydrogen and Heat

Convert to Ethanol

Burn Biomass

12.4

4.7

9.8

0

5

10

15

Ene

rgy

Val

ue (

10

6ba

rrel

s of

die

sel

fuel

equ

ival

ent p

er d

ay)

Energy Value of 1.3 Billion Tons/year of U.S. Renewable Biomass Measured

in Equivalent Barrels of Diesel Fuel per Day (World Situation Is Similar)

←U.S. Transport

Fuel Demand

Biomass

Energy to

Operate

Bio-refinery

33

Feedstock Nuclear Energy Input

Starch (Corn, potatoes,

etc) to ethanol [Today]

Low-temperature heat

Cellulose to ethanol,

gasoline, and diesel

Low-temperature heat

and some hydrogen

Biomass to gasoline

and diesel

Hydrogen*

Nuclear-Biomass Liquid Fuel Options

Each Option Sequentially Increases the Liquid Fuels Yield

per Ton of Biomass with More External Energy Inputs

*Biomass to gasoline and diesel may also be possible using high-temperature heat;

however, both the reactor and the process must be developed

Nuclear heat economics are favorable today and no new technology is

required. Has been done in Canada. Renewed interest today

Starch(corn, potatoes, etc.)

Ethanol

Steam

Ethanol Plant Steam Plant Nuclear Reactor Ethanol Plant

Steam

Natural Gas/Biomass

Nuclear/Biomass

50% Decrease in CO2 Emissions/Gallon Ethanol50% Reduction in Steam Cost

Electricity

Ethanol

AnimalProtein

NaturalGas

AnimalProtein

Fossil Energy Input 70% ofEnergy Content of Ethanol

Starch to Ethanol

Cellulosic Liquid-Fuel Options

Cellulose Is the Primary Form of Biomass

Biomass(1.3 billion tons/year)

Cellulose(65-85% Biomass)

Lignin(15-35% Biomass)

Gasoline/Diesel

Ethanol

Steam

Ethanol Plant Steam Plant Lignin Plant Nuclear Reactor Ethanol Plant

Hydrogen(small

quantities)

Heat

Steam

BiomassNuclearBiomass

50% Increase Liquid Fuel/Unit Biomass

Electricity

Ethanol

36

Nuclear-Cellulosic Liquid-Fuel

Option Requires a Lignin-to-Fuel Process

Conventional cellulose-to-

ethanol process burns lignin

biomass for energy

Nuclear cellulose ethanol

fuel option

Nuclear steam for cellulose

ethanol production

Lignin conversion to liquid

fuels (not a boiler fuel)

Leading candidate is to

hydrocrack lignin to a

gasoline-type fuel

Hydrogen to convert lignin to

hydrocarbon fuelsLignin (Biological

precursor to crude oil)37

Full Conversion of Biomass

to Diesel and Gasoline

Maximize liquid fuels by: Conversion of all carbon into liquid fuels

Maximize energy carried per carbon atom

Produce only high-energy liquid fuel

Diesel and gasoline

Routes to maximize total energy content of liquid fuels per ton of biomass Fischer-Tropsch with nuclear hydrogen input (current

technology option)

Fischer-Tropsch with high-temperature heat for steam gasification (Need development of high-temperature reactor and the conversion process)

Direct hydrogenation of biomass with nuclear hydrogen (Need development of conversion process)

38

Gasifier

Product Upgrade

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Gas Cleanup

Nuclear Plant Electrolyzers

CO2

H2S

O2

H2

Sulfur Product

Synfuel

Biomass provides the chemically-reduced carbon for the liquid fuel

Nuclear primary input is hydrogen (Oxygen is a minor input)

Nuclear-Hydrogen-Biomass to

Diesel and Gasoline

39

Status of Low-Greenhouse-Gas

Transport Fuel Options

Biofuels are the near-term non-fossil-fuel option Workable

Some production routes are now economic without tax breaks

Large potential for improvements

Longer-term transport fuel options; but, each has special challenges Liquid fuels from air

Hydrogen as a fuel

All electric car

In all cases will likely require liquid fuels for application such as air transport

40

Fuels From Intercepted Carbon Dioxide:

―Unlimited‖ But Larger H2

Requirements

Includes Option of Extracting Carbon Dioxide from Air

Cement Plants

Land Fills

Carbon Dioxide

Liquid Fuel ProductionWith Hydrogen

Sewer Plants

Hydrogen

LiquidFuels

41

Electric Transport Options

Electric car limitations Limited range

Recharge time (Gasoline/Diesel refueling rate is ~10 MW)

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle Electric drive for short trips

Recharge battery overnight to avoid rapid recharge requirement

Hybrid engine with gasoline or diesel engine for longer trips

Plug-in hybrids and other technologies may cut gasoline use in half—but not eliminate the need for transport fuels

Courtesy of the Electric Power Research Institute 42

Future Markets:

Materials Production

43

Iron, Cement, and Other Materials

We use massive quantities of steel, concrete, and other materials

The earth is made of oxides and carbonates, not metals or cement

Fossil fuels are the chemical reducing agents to convert oxides and carbonates to useful materials

Hydrogen Can Replace Carbon

For Materials Production

44

The Chemistry of Materials Production

Example: Steel Production

Oxidized raw material (iron ore) +

Carbon (coal, oil or natural gas) →

Partly refined material (pig iron) +

Carbon dioxide ↑

Partly refined material (pig iron) +

Added Processing → Steel

45

The Chemistry of Materials Production

Is Switching to Hydrogen

Carbon (coal, oil or natural gas) + Oxygen +

Water → Hydrogen + Carbon dioxide ↑

Oxidized raw material (iron ore) + Hydrogen

→ Steel + Water

Hydrogen is used for 4% of iron production to

produce high-purity iron

Non-Fossil Hydrogen Can Be the Chemical

Reducing Agent For Materials Production46

Nuclear Hydrogen Production

47

Multiple Technology Options

Commercial technology for almost a century

2H2O + electricity → 2H2 + O2

Efficiency: 66% LHV

Cell lifetime: 20 years

Capital costs are decreasing and efficiency is increasing

Alkaline Electrolysis

48

High-Temperature Electrolysis Cell (Courtesy of INL and Ceramatec)

Technology being developed 2 H2O + Electricity + Heat → 2H2 + O2

Solid oxide membrane Oxygen transport though membrane Operating temperature ~800°C Same technology as fuel cell

More efficient than electrolysis Cold Electrolysis: Electricity

Converts liquid water to gases Breaks chemical bonds

HTE: Electricity and Heat Heat converts water to gas (steam)

and weakens chemical bond Electricity breaks chemical bond

Efficiency dependent upon the temperature of delivered heat Potential to exceed 50% with high-

temperature reactors

High-Temperature Electrolysis (HTE)

Steam Electrolysis of Water

49

High-Temperature Electrolysis Cell (Courtesy of INL and Ceramatec)

2 H2O + Electricity + Heat →

2 H2 + O2 (Cell at 800°C)

LWR variant Steam at 200 to 300°C

Heat steam to cell temperatures Counter-flow of product H2 and O2

from electrolytic cell

Final temperature boost from

electrical inefficiencies

Estimated LWR efficiencies Electricity: 36%

Cold electrolysis: 25.7%

HTE: 33 to 34%

High-Temperature Electrolysis (HTE)

Using Light-Water Reactors

50

Thermochemical Cycles

2H2O + Heat → 2H2 + O2

Potential for better economics

Heat is cheaper than electricity

Potential to scale up to large equipment sizes

Many proposed cycles with different peak

temperatures from ~500°C to 1000°C

Significant potential for lower costs; but, much

R&D is required

51

Thermochemical Hydrogen Production

(Example [leading candidate]: Iodine–Sulfur Process)

I + SO2 2 2 + 2H OH SO 2 4

Heat

Oxygen Hydrogen

Water

800-1000 Co

2H O2

H2

2HI + H2 4SOH2 2 2O + SO + ½O

H2 2 + I

I2SO2

O2

2HI

H2 4SO HI

52

Nuclear Hydrogen May Determine

World Energy System Architecture

Today we have two parallel energy systems

Liquid and gaseous fuels

Electricity

Hydrogen may couple these energy systems

Can convert hydrogen to electricity and back (Successful

development of reasonable cost, efficient HTE/fuel cell)

Hydrogen is storable on a seasonal basis

In a low-carbon world, the electrical production system will

have low-cost off-season electricity that can be converted

to hydrogen—implies coupled fuels/electricity system

53

←High-Temperature

Electrolysis / Fuel Cell

Nuclear

Energy

↓

Off-Peak

Electricity

and Heat

→H2 / O2 Off-Peak →

Peak Electricity

↓

← H2 / O2 Peak

Electricity

RenewablesBio-Liquid

Fuels

↑

←

↓↑H2 / O2

↑→

Nuclear-Hydrogen-Renewable System

54

Hydrogen: An Intrinsically

Large-Scale Technology

There Is a Long-Term Natural Coupling of

Nuclear Energy and Hydrogen Production

Electricity is Not an Intrinsically

Large-Scale Technology

55

Underground storage is the only cheap hydrogen storage technology—but only on a large scale

Centralized hydrogen storage favors centralized hydrogen production to avoid transport costs

Technology

Underground storage in multiple geologies

Used for natural gas (~400 existing facilities in U.S.)

Existing hydrogen storage technology

56

←Chevron Phillips↑Clemens Terminal-H2

160 x 1000 ft cylinder salt cavern

There is Only One Low-Cost Hydrogen

Storage Technology: Underground

Hydrogen Collection and Distribution

are Different than for Electricity

Electricity transport

Two-way systems with transformers

Efficient methods to change voltage

Hydrogen transport is similar to

natural gas

Hydrogen transmits one way: high to

low pressure

Large economics of scale associated

with hydrogen compression

H2 transport characteristics

favor centralized production,

storage, and transport

57

Hydrogen Production Favors

High-Capacity Centralized Systems

H2 properties create major problems in small systems H2 leakage (Surface area dependent) Inefficient H2 compression

Economics of Scale Electricity (Electrons):

Multiple production methods (wind, nuclear, coal, etc.)

Plant sizes vary by over 3 orders of magnitude

Electricity costs vary by a factor of 3 Not intrinsically a large-scale technology

Hydrogen (Atoms): Large economics of scale Chemical industry experience

58

Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant (Courtesy of TVA)

Economics have Driven the Largest Natural

Gas-to-Hydrogen Plant Outputs to Match

Three 1000-MW(e) Nuclear Power Plants

*Natural gas-to-H2 plant with total output from four trains of 15.6 • 106 m3/day 59

Nuclear Energy Characteristics

Match Hydrogen Production Needs

60

Natural Coupling of

Nuclear and Hydrogen

Production Technologies

Conclusions

We may soon see the greatest change in energy systems since the beginning of the industrial revolution with the transition to fossil fuels

The future is unknowable; but, nuclear hydrogen is on the short list of transformational energy technologies

Hydrogen is not a one-to-one substitute for fossil fuels Used where its chemical properties give it unique advantages

Deployment dependent upon development of both production and user technologies

Nuclear energy characteristics match hydrogen production, storage, and distribution characteristics

Nuclear hydrogen may become the enabling technology for the large-scale use of renewables Peak power backup for large-scale use of wind and solar

Biomass liquid fuels 61

Biography: Charles Forsberg

Dr. Charles Forsberg is the Executive Director

of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study. Before joining MIT,

he was a Corporate Fellow at Oak Ridge

National Laboratory. He is a Fellow of the

American Nuclear Society, a Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of

Science, and recipient of the 2005 Robert E.

Wilson Award from the American Institute of

Chemical Engineers for outstanding chemical

engineering contributions to nuclear energy,

including his work in hydrogen production and

nuclear-renewable energy futures. He

received the American Nuclear Society special

award for innovative nuclear reactor design.

Dr. Forsberg earned his bachelor's degree in

chemical engineering from the University of

Minnesota and his doctorate in Nuclear

Engineering from MIT. He has been awarded

10 patents and has published over 200 papers.

62

References

1. C. W. Forsberg, “Sustainability by Combining Nuclear, Fossil, and Renewable Energy

Sources,” Progress in Nuclear Energy, 51, 192-200 (2009)

2. C. W. Forsberg, “Meeting U.S. Liquid Transport Fuel Needs with a Nuclear Hydrogen

Biomass System,” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 34 (9), 4227-4236, (May 2009)

3. C. Forsberg and M. Kazimi, “Nuclear Hydrogen Using High-Temperature Electrolysis and

Light-Water Reactors for Peak Electricity Production,” 4th Nuclear Energy Agency

Information Exchange Meeting on Nuclear Production of Hydrogen, Oak Brook, Illinois,

April 10-16, 2009. http://mit.edu/canes/pdfs/nes-10.pdf

4. C. W. Forsberg, “Nuclear Energy for a Low-Carbon-Dioxide-Emission Transportation System

with Liquid Fuels,” Nuclear Technology, 164, December 2008.

5. C. W. Forsberg, “Use of High-Temperature Heat in Refineries, Underground Refining, and

Bio-Refineries for Liquid-Fuels Production,” HTR2008-58226, 4th International Topical

Meeting on High-Temperature Reactor Technology, American Society of Mechanical

Engineers; September 28-October 1, 2008;Washington D.C.

6. C. W. Forsberg, “Economics of Meeting Peak Electricity Demand Using Hydrogen and

Oxygen from Base-Load Nuclear or Off-Peak Electricity,” Nuclear Technology, 166, 18-26

April 2009.

63

Today’s Methods For Peak

Electricity Production

Requirement Hydro Fossil

Energy

Storage

Lake behind

dam

Oil tank or

natural gas

Electricity

Production

Hydro-turbine Gas turbine

Limitation Hydro sites

(water storage)

Climate

change

64

Carbon dioxide sequestration likely to be prohibitively expensive for

fossil peak power units that operate a few hours per day

CES is Developing a

Natural Gas–Oxygen Steam System

Enabling Technology for Oxy-Hydrogen Steam Cycle

Recycle Water

C.W.

Cond.

FuelProcessing

Plant

CrudeFuel

AirSeparation

Plant

Air

N2

Coal, RefineryResidues, or

Biomass

NG, Oil orLandfill Gas

HP IP LP

O2

Fuel*

CO2Recovery

* CH4, CO, H2, etc.

ExcessWater

EOR, ECBM, orSequestration

DirectSales

HX

ElectGen.

Multi-stageTurbines

Gas Generator

CO2

RH

Recycle Water

C.W.

Cond.

FuelProcessing

Plant

CrudeFuel

FuelProcessing

Plant

CrudeFuel

AirSeparation

Plant

Air

N2

AirSeparation

Plant

Air

N2

AirSeparation

Plant

Air

N2

Coal, RefineryResidues, or

Biomass

NG, Oil orLandfill Gas

HP IP LP

O2

Fuel*

CO2Recovery

CO2Recovery

* CH4, CO, H2, etc.

ExcessWater

EOR, ECBM, orSequestration

DirectSales

HX

ElectGen.

Multi-stageTurbines

Gas Generator

CO2

RH

Courtesy of Clean Energy Systems (CES) 65