S. Stuver
GTI Energy,
United States
Keywords: hydrogen microgrids resiliency
Summary:
This presentation will describe the best practices and lessons learned from the Hydrogen Energy Research Operation (HERO) Prototype being developed and tested at GTI Energy and Piloted with the Illinois National Guard. In recent years, cyber-attacks and extreme weather events have exposed the vulnerability of the current energy system, posing threats to military operational readiness as extended power outages and water disruptions are becoming more common. Hydrogen is a powerful tool that could ensure the continuity and protection of essential missions, capabilities, and infrastructure. The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) has partnered with GTI Energy to execute HERO, a program aimed at increasing energy resiliency at military installations. The HERO system includes hydrogen production through both electrolysis and methane reforming with carbon capture. The hydrogen produced powers hydrogen generators for clean fuel microgrid applications and is also stored in solid-state systems such as metal hydrides - resulting in no evaporation losses and maximum integrity if the tank is damaged. The stored hydrogen fuels certified hydrogen boilers where 1kg of hydrogen has shown to contain the same energy as 2.8kg of natural gas. The stored hydrogen also fuels a dispenser for fuel-cell forklifts that can fuel up in 3 minutes and sustain full power longer than their electric counterparts. Water produced from the system is being studied for reuse applications. A digital twin accompanies the hardware with modeling that replicates all mechanical, electrical, and gas behavior of the hydrogen system, and a virtual training package accompanies the HERO prototype to ensure the safe operation of the prototype prior to deployment. The presentation will cover lessons learned on integration, testing and validation, site planning and engineering, appropriate system scaling, optimization, and configuration that balances installation resiliency metrics with system cost, return on investment, energy efficiency, and commissioning.