The potential solution for decarbonising global demand for domestic and industrial heat lies in electrification. However, transitioning existing heating applications to electricity presents various challenges, including heightened electricity demand, imposing a substantial additional load on an already strained electricity network, the necessity for oversized and costly battery storage, and the imperative to significantly enhance low-carbon electricity generation. Addressing the decarbonisation of heat does not have a one-size-fits-all technological solution; rather, examining the entire energy system unveils opportunities for leveraging synergies to their fullest. Given the diversity in heat demand and uncertainties surrounding the optimal approach to scaling up heat decarbonisation, a comprehensive consideration of various technologies, such as fuel cells and hydrogen-based heat systems, becomes imperative.
Hydrogen can assume a pivotal role in the decarbonisation of heat. One approach involves the substitution of Natural Gas (NG) with carbon-free hydrogen, offering a proposal for entirely or partially decarbonising heat. Fuel cells, capable of maintaining high electrical efficiency (> 60%) even at partial loads, emerge as an appealing option for flexible operation and load balancing. Additionally, hydrogen-based heat pumps, employing metal hydrides, prove to be highly efficient and promising systems for both space and water heating, with the added capability of providing cooling.
However, the integration of hydrogen into buildings encounters numerous challenges, including the need for infrastructure, equipment, and safety apparatus upgrades. Providing consumers with training and instilling confidence in hydrogen fuel systems are essential aspects of this transition. Moreover, the deployment of hydrogen equipment must be strategically targeted to specific applications, considering cost-effectiveness in comparison to alternatives like conventional heat pumps or clean district heating technologies. These systems, as a result, can serve as valuable complements to widespread electrification, introducing flexibility and demand response capabilities.
The objective of this research topic is to assess and contrast the technological and economic implications of various hydrogen-based technologies: (a) the complete or partial substitution of the natural gas (NG) grid with hydrogen, (b) fuel cells, and (c) metal hydride heat pumps designed for heating applications in buildings.
Consequently, we invite submissions that cover:
i) Recent experimental and modeling papers showcasing the feasibility of utilising the aforementioned (a-c) technologies for heat generation in buildings.
ii) Examinations of the financial and economic challenges associated with the proposed hydrogen-based technologies.
iii) Considerations of safety issues and risk mitigation strategies for the application of these technologies.
iv) General review papers within the specified context.
Keywords:
Hydrogen, Heat storage, Thermal Energy, Hydrogen systems, Hydrogen Materials, Decarbonization heat
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
The potential solution for decarbonising global demand for domestic and industrial heat lies in electrification. However, transitioning existing heating applications to electricity presents various challenges, including heightened electricity demand, imposing a substantial additional load on an already strained electricity network, the necessity for oversized and costly battery storage, and the imperative to significantly enhance low-carbon electricity generation. Addressing the decarbonisation of heat does not have a one-size-fits-all technological solution; rather, examining the entire energy system unveils opportunities for leveraging synergies to their fullest. Given the diversity in heat demand and uncertainties surrounding the optimal approach to scaling up heat decarbonisation, a comprehensive consideration of various technologies, such as fuel cells and hydrogen-based heat systems, becomes imperative.
Hydrogen can assume a pivotal role in the decarbonisation of heat. One approach involves the substitution of Natural Gas (NG) with carbon-free hydrogen, offering a proposal for entirely or partially decarbonising heat. Fuel cells, capable of maintaining high electrical efficiency (> 60%) even at partial loads, emerge as an appealing option for flexible operation and load balancing. Additionally, hydrogen-based heat pumps, employing metal hydrides, prove to be highly efficient and promising systems for both space and water heating, with the added capability of providing cooling.
However, the integration of hydrogen into buildings encounters numerous challenges, including the need for infrastructure, equipment, and safety apparatus upgrades. Providing consumers with training and instilling confidence in hydrogen fuel systems are essential aspects of this transition. Moreover, the deployment of hydrogen equipment must be strategically targeted to specific applications, considering cost-effectiveness in comparison to alternatives like conventional heat pumps or clean district heating technologies. These systems, as a result, can serve as valuable complements to widespread electrification, introducing flexibility and demand response capabilities.
The objective of this research topic is to assess and contrast the technological and economic implications of various hydrogen-based technologies: (a) the complete or partial substitution of the natural gas (NG) grid with hydrogen, (b) fuel cells, and (c) metal hydride heat pumps designed for heating applications in buildings.
Consequently, we invite submissions that cover:
i) Recent experimental and modeling papers showcasing the feasibility of utilising the aforementioned (a-c) technologies for heat generation in buildings.
ii) Examinations of the financial and economic challenges associated with the proposed hydrogen-based technologies.
iii) Considerations of safety issues and risk mitigation strategies for the application of these technologies.
iv) General review papers within the specified context.
Keywords:
Hydrogen, Heat storage, Thermal Energy, Hydrogen systems, Hydrogen Materials, Decarbonization heat
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.