Editorial Comment

T. CAMPBELL, Managing Editor

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), by the end of 2023, China’s installed electrolyzer capacity is expected to reach 1.2 gigawatts (GW), which would be 50% of the entire global capacity. The country is responsible for more than 40% of electrolysis projects that have reached a final investment decision (FID) globally.¹

China’s large manufacturing capacity presents the potential for the country to become a major hydrogen (H₂) exporter. In April 2023, Sinopec announced plans to build a H₂ pipeline more than 400 km from Ulanqab to Beijing, able to handle approximately 100,000 tpy of H₂ in its first phase, eventually increasing to 500,000 tpy. 

However, China is just one of many countries in the Asia-Pacific region with plans to develop H₂ pipeline infrastructure. City Energy and Gentari are studying the feasibility of a H₂ pipeline from Singapore to Malaysia. The study will be conducted over a 12-mos period. The H₂ will be produced at City Energy’s Senoko Gasworks plant in northern Singapore.

Sembcorp Utilities and Persero have also signed a study agreement to explore green H₂ production in Indonesia for transport to Singapore via a subsea pipeline. The Indonesian facility can potentially produce up to 100,000 tpy of green H₂.

Earlier this year, Australia progressed in its potential conversion of a gas transmission pipeline to a pure H₂ pipeline with the Australian energy infrastructure business, APA Group. They completed laboratory testing of Parmelia Gas Pipeline materials in a pressurized H₂ environment. The testing confirmed the technical feasibility of converting a 43-km section of the pipeline to carry 100% H₂.

In India, Gentari and AMG Ammonia aim to produce 5 MMtpy of green ammonia by 2030. The plan is to use the ammonia as an energy carrier for H₂. The 5-MMtpy green ammonia production capacity is equivalent to 1 MMtpy of green H₂, accounting for 20% of India’s green H₂ production target by 2030. The first exports are expected to be in late 2025 to Germany, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.H₂T

LITERATURE CITED 

¹ IEA, “Global hydrogen review 2023: Executive summary,” 2023, online: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2023/executive-summary