{"id":340602,"date":"2024-08-25T18:12:08","date_gmt":"2024-08-25T16:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=340602"},"modified":"2024-08-25T18:12:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-25T16:12:10","slug":"mostly-unusable-existing-gas-pipes-would-need-massive-retrofit-or-crippling-de-rating-to-carry-hydrogen-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=340602","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Mostly unusable\u2019 | Existing gas pipes would need massive retrofit or crippling de-rating to carry hydrogen:\u00a0study"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
A hydrogen pipeline to houses illustrating the transformation of the energy sector towards clean, carbon-neutral, safe and independent energy sources to replace natural gas in homes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Paul Homewood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

h\/t Patsy Lacey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Existing fossil gas infrastructure such as pipelines and appliances are \u201cmostly unusable\u201d with hydrogen, without either major investment, or changes in operation that would significantly reduce the amount of energy delivered to customers, a new peer-reviewed study has revealed.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paper, A review of challenges with using the natural gas system for hydrogen, published yesterday (Monday) in the Energy Science and Engineering journal, examined the risks and potential solutions for the use of hydrogen in existing long-distance and distribution pipelines, storage and end-use appliances \u2014 as well as re-iterating the risks of explosions, fires and asphyxiation caused by hydrogen leaking from poorly adapted infrastructure.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.hydrogeninsight.com\/policy\/mostly-unusable-existing-gas-pipes-would-need-massive-retrofit-or-crippling-de-rating-to-carry-hydrogen-study\/2-1-1694727<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the paper itself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Abstract<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hydrogen, as an energy carrier, is attractive to many stakeholders based on the assumption that the extensive global network of natural gas infrastructure can be repurposed to transport hydrogen as part of a zero-carbon energy future. Therefore, utility companies and governments are rapidly advancing efforts to pilot blending low-carbon hydrogen into existing natural gas systems, many with the goal of eventually shifting to pure hydrogen. However, hydrogen has fundamentally different physical and chemical properties to natural gas, with major consequences for safety, energy supply, climate, and cost. We evaluate the suitability of using existing natural gas infrastructure for distribution of hydrogen. We summarize differences between hydrogen and natural gas, assess the latest science and engineering of each component of the natural gas value chain for hydrogen distribution, and discuss proposed solutions for building an effective hydrogen value chain. We find that every value chain component is challenged by reuse. Hydrogen blending can circumvent many challenges but offers only a small reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to hydrogen\u2019s low volumetric energy density. Furthermore, a transition to pure hydrogen is not possible without significant retrofits and replacements. Even if technical and economic barriers are overcome, serious safety and environmental risks remain.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/ese3.1861<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hydrogen, as an energy carrier, is attractive to many stakeholders based on the assumption that the extensive global network of natural gas infrastructure can be repurposed to transport hydrogen as part of a zero-carbon energy future. Therefore, utility companies and governments are rapidly advancing efforts to pilot blending low-carbon hydrogen into existing natural gas systems, many with the goal of eventually shifting to pure hydrogen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":340607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691830317,691818370,691818154],"class_list":{"0":"post-340602","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-gas-pipes","9":"tag-hydrogen","10":"tag-net-zero","12":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/0hydrogen-pipeline-houses-illustrating-transformation-energy-sector-towards-clean-carbonneutral-safe-independent-energy-sources-replace-natural-gas-homes.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1qBA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":269267,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=269267","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":0},"title":"Hydrogen, no matter the colour, cannot stop the looming renewable energy train\u00a0crash","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/25\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Hydrogen of whatever colour is a hypothetical solution to the challenge of net zero, and an extremely expensive one at that. And this goes to the heart of the net zero problem: it relies on developing a range of solutions that are easy to say but difficult and expensive to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"CO2\"","block_context":{"text":"CO2","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/00hydrogen_molecule-1-1536x864-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/00hydrogen_molecule-1-1536x864-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/00hydrogen_molecule-1-1536x864-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/00hydrogen_molecule-1-1536x864-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/00hydrogen_molecule-1-1536x864-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":341246,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=341246","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":1},"title":"Shock New Claim: \u2018Green\u2019 Hydrogen Produces 37 Times More Global Warming than Carbon Dioxide","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/31\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Dangerous stuff all this \u2018green\u2019 hydrogen. Apart from a tendency to explode unless handled with extreme care, its higher combustion temperature can produce more harmful nitrogen dioxide than natural gas. Nitrogen dioxide is a nasty pollutant and has been linked to childhood asthma and other major ailments. Furthermore, hydrogen is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO2)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO2)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/00Green-Hydrogen_shutterstock_2172061583-scaled-1-1024x676.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/00Green-Hydrogen_shutterstock_2172061583-scaled-1-1024x676.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/00Green-Hydrogen_shutterstock_2172061583-scaled-1-1024x676.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/00Green-Hydrogen_shutterstock_2172061583-scaled-1-1024x676.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":291622,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291622","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":2},"title":"Billions To Be Wasted On Inefficient Hydrogen\u00a0Factories","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/17\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"So we are going to spend billions building these hydrogen factories, and in the process will need twice as much gas as we would have needed if we burnt the stuff in the first place!","rel":"","context":"In \"COP28\"","block_context":{"text":"COP28","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cop28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0253818cd52fe2b18b937428bb4ea36e.jpg?fit=1200%2C598&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0253818cd52fe2b18b937428bb4ea36e.jpg?fit=1200%2C598&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0253818cd52fe2b18b937428bb4ea36e.jpg?fit=1200%2C598&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0253818cd52fe2b18b937428bb4ea36e.jpg?fit=1200%2C598&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0253818cd52fe2b18b937428bb4ea36e.jpg?fit=1200%2C598&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":266913,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=266913","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":3},"title":"Right, Daily Caller, Green Hydrogen Is No Miracle Solution for Carbon Free Energy","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/12\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Daily Caller\u00a0(DCNF) recently posted an article by contributor John Hugh DeMastri describing significant issues likely to limit the effectiveness of the Biden administration\u2019s plans to invest up to $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to \u201cgreen hydrogen.\u201d","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon free\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon free","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-free"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0101934.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0101934.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0101934.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0101934.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0101934.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":368019,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=368019","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":4},"title":"Geologic Hydrogen: A Game-Changer or Another Energy Mirage?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/28\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"What if the Earth has been hoarding a massive energy stockpile right under our noses? That\u2019s the provocative idea in a new study from Science Advances (December 13, 2024),\u00a0Model predictions of global geologic hydrogen resources, by Geoffrey Ellis and Sarah E. Gelman. They propose that natural hydrogen\u2014formed by geological processes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0ashim-d-silva-WeYamle9fDM-unsplash-jpg.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0ashim-d-silva-WeYamle9fDM-unsplash-jpg.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0ashim-d-silva-WeYamle9fDM-unsplash-jpg.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0ashim-d-silva-WeYamle9fDM-unsplash-jpg.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0ashim-d-silva-WeYamle9fDM-unsplash-jpg.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":338050,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=338050","url_meta":{"origin":340602,"position":5},"title":"Impossible \u2018Green\u2019 Hydrogen Dream: Laws of Physics Bust Climate Cult\u2019s Latest Energy\u00a0Myth","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/31\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Climate Cult promotes the myth of hydrogen gas as the salvation of the planet from catastrophic global boiling. The billionaire climate rent-seekers tell us that hydrogen power is the answer because the only emissions it puts out are water vapour. Hydrogen fuel cells are cited as an example.","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO2)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO2)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=340602"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340602\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":340608,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340602\/revisions\/340608"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/340607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=340602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=340602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=340602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}