It’s easy to be overwhelmed: I can’t think of any other trade fair worldwide that has quite as many groundbreaking innovations on view as ACHEMA. To me, the technological developments arising as the second logical step from the energy turnaround are truly fascinating. The challenge is to keep as close a watch as possible on the customer’s requirements, so that they become a part of the new technology solution. I had a chance to admire several such solutions recently at ACHEMA. Among the many impressive exhibits at this year’s event, for instance, was something known as water electrolysis, which was unveiled by thyssenkrupp at the world forum and leading show for the process industries.
The technology itself is actually well-known: electricity is passed through water and breaks it down into oxygen and hydrogen. Excess electricity can be used for this and converted into a different energy source – hydrogen. This is useful when additional energy is needed. Then, the hydrogen can be turned into electricity again.
Water electrolysis could be utilized, say, to distribute wind energy via the natural gas pipeline network with the help of the hydrogen. Methane and hydrogen is a combination that already works without any problems, and it makes absolutely no difference as regards the end use. It represents a good way to make natural gas at least partly “green”. The pipelines that are needed to distribute the wind energy have likewise been available for some time now. In short, this is an elegant way to feed “green” power into the conventional fossil chain.
Probably the best thing about thyssenkrupp’s special “electrolyzer” process is its superior cost efficiency. The chances are good that the process will reduce the capital costs of water electrolysis plants by a factor of 3.5 to 5. The engineers responsible are also targeting efficiency of up to 80 percent.
All in all, thyssenkrupp has come up with a remarkable technological innovation. The only drawback is that no concrete business case and owner exist as yet (“as yet” being the operative words here).
No matter how little or how much time it takes – if there’s any decisive change in the situation, we at Yokogawa are ready and waiting. The Community Energy Management System (CEMS), which Yokogawa has already implemented successfully for an entire region on Toyota’s initiative, is just one prominent example (click here to read the press release).
And that’s precisely what it’s all about: acting with agility and providing problem-oriented solutions.
Yours sincerely
Andreas Helget
