Hydrogen energy in Russia - industrial waste gases utilization potential

Abstract

Hydrogen is supposed to be prospective energy carrier and even commercial product for the nearest future. One of the hydrogen energy main problems is hydrogen production problem with high energy consumption in electrolysis case and CO/CO2 co-production in case of steam hydrocarbon reforming. At the same time several branches of industry are able to produce hydrogen as a by-product with different purity degree. Sodium and chlorine production plants can be a source of high-purity hydrogen. Low-purity hydrogen can be obtained from digester and sewage gas. In both cases there is economic interest to energy production from such hydrogen or its introduction into natural gas pipelines. Technical potential of such hydrogen source in Russia has been briefly estimated in case of fuel cells usage. Resource potential visualization maps have been created.