Green hydrogen program "Technologies, materials and processes for small-scale production of renewable hydrogen vectors (methane and ammonia) for a distributed exploitation" in Castilla y León

The project is planned to run for 4 years from its launching and consists of a main line of research, which addresses the development of compact and efficient plants. It is at the same time subdivided into a sub-line of plants for methane generation and another sub-line of research in ammonia plants. The project also includes the design of a Master's Degree to be offered at the University of Burgos, taught by a staff composed of the researchers and other experts in the field.

1. Development of compact and efficient methane plants as hydrogen vector

The main objective of this Action Line is to address the "Development of technologies to convert CO2 with renewable hydrogen into biomethane by chemical/catalytic and thermocatalytic processes".

In order to achieve this, the design of modular, compact, small-sized, highly efficient and technically and economically feasible plants for methane generation from renewable H2 will be carried out, through the development of new materials (avoiding fragilization), catalysts and optimization of reactors (design, sizing and simulation).

2. Development of compact and efficient hydrogen (ammonia) carrier plants

The main objective of this Action Line is to address the "Development of chemical/catalytic technologies to obtain high added value chemical precursors and hydrogen vectors, such as ammonia", through the development of more efficient H2 generation production systems, by using:

1. Materials evaluation
2. New catalysts for NH3 synthesis that allow an energy-saving scenario
3. New small scale reactor designs (de-scale and integral design). Demonstration grade will be achieved, to advance the TRL scale from 6 to 8, with the objective of increasing the NH3 efficiency of the process from the current 20% to 40%.

In this framework, the ultimate goal is to establish technologies that achieve cost-effective ammonia production on a smaller scale, increasing the yield and/or decreasing the energy consumed, addressing aspects such as the custom fabrication of "small" reactors to carry out the modified Haber Bosch process using renewable N2 and H2, which are not on the market, as reported in some recent references, as well as the operation and control of them, due to the fluctuations in the production of hydrogen from renewable sources.