Communicating leakage risk in the hydrogen economy: Lessons already learned from geoenergy industries

Abstract

Hydrogen is set to play a part in delivering a net zero emissions future globally. However, previous research finds that risk perception issues are particularly challenging for emerging and potentially unfamiliar technologies. Hydrogen as a fuel falls into this category. Thus, while the hydrogen value chain could offer a range of potential environmental, economic and social benefits, it is imperative that the roll-out of hydrogen fits with societal expectations of how risk ought to be managed—and by whom. Communication and engagement are critical to ensure 1) communities and stakeholders are able to come to informed decisions on hydrogen and 2) developers, operators and regulators are able to respond to societal concerns and adapt practices appropriately.Within the hydrogen value chain, geological storage may be an important step, but could present challenges in terms of perceived safety. Lessons can be learned from international research and practice of CO2 and natural gas storage in geological formations [for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and power respectively] which may be relevant to hydrogen storage in salt caverns or porous sandstones. We draw on these analogues to present potential societal risk perception issues which may arise for geological storage of hydrogen. We argue that site-specific communication and engagement strategies, underpinned by broad-based principles covering the entire span of the project and a clear rationale for how hydrogen benefits the climate and the most vulnerable members of society under an energy crisis, will be critical to fostering societal support for geological hydrogen storage.

Microbial Risk Assessment for Underground Hydrogen Storage in Porous Rocks

“…While the world energy consumption is steadily increasing [1], climate change, triggered by the use of carbon (C) based energy sources, is a global concern [2]. In addition to increased use of renewable (zero C) electricity and to passive and active carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sequestration technologies to mitigate climate change (e.g., [3][4][5]), the use of green hydrogen (H 2 ), produced by electrolysis of renewable electricity, is receiving increased attention as a fossil fuel substitute, due to its potential as key contributor to a zero or low C emission future [6,7]. Green hydrogen could be produced during times of a renewable electricity oversupply, stored, and recovered for electricity generation during periods of renewable energy shortage, in this way overcoming the imbalance between supply and demand in the renewable energy sector [8,9], and minimizing any restrictions on the output of renewable electricity to support its increased deployment.…”

Natural hydrogen seeps as analogues to inform monitoring of engineered geological hydrogen storage

“…Engineered geological hydrogen stores must ensure safe and secure storage (Heinemann et al 2021). Leakage from engineered hydrogen stores could have a cascade of environmental, social and economic risks (Heinemann et al 2021;Stalker et al 2022). Understanding how hydrogen might leak out of the geological store, and potentially to the surface, is fundamental to constrain risk in any future geological storage sites.…”