Our country has achieved zero breakthroughs!, Regarding the ultimate energy of the future
China has achieved zero breakthroughs in the ultimate energy of the future!
On August 30th, Sinopec announced that the largest photovoltaic direct production of green hydrogen project in China, the Xinjiang Kuche Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project, has been fully completed and put into operation.
With the completion of all supporting photovoltaic power stations and the realization of full capacity grid connection, the project can produce green hydrogen at full capacity. The 20000 tons of green hydrogen produced each year are supplied to Sinopec Tahe Refining and Chemical Company nearby, to replace the natural gas used in refining and processing for hydrogen production. The low-carbon development of modern oil processing and green hydrogen coupling is achieved, and the full completion and operation marks a breakthrough in the scale application of green hydrogen industrialization in China.
The so-called green hydrogen refers to hydrogen directly produced through renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power generation. Compared to gray hydrogen produced from fossil fuel power generation in the past, green hydrogen basically does not produce greenhouse gases during the production process. SNAM China Director and Senior Vice President Peng Ningke once wrote an article stating that when it comes to the ultimate energy source for humanity, green electricity and green hydrogen energy will be the two main forms.
How were these "ultimate energy sources" created? Recently, China News Agency's Guoshi Express arrived at Sinopec Xinjiang Kuche Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project to explore the manufacturing process of Kuche green hydrogen.
How exactly is green hydrogen made?
Entering the hydrogen production plant of Sinopec Xinxing Company, you are greeted by a tall building connected to a row of pipelines. Originally, this large house was the water cooling system of the entire hydrogen production plant. In order to cater to the climate of water scarcity in Xinjiang and reduce water evaporation, the water cooling system here adopts a closed design. According to the project leader, this building is equivalent to the "air conditioning" of these equipment, mainly used to regulate the temperature of the equipment in the factory area, so that the temperature of the equipment in the factory area is maintained in a relatively constant range.
Walking past the water-cooling system, there is a factory building used for hydrogen production. Inside the factory building, there are groups of operating electrolysis tanks displayed.
In this project, the method of producing hydrogen through electrolysis of water is adopted. According to Fang Hu, Deputy General Manager of Xinjiang Green Hydrogen Company, the process of producing hydrogen through electrolysis of water involves direct current being supplied to an electrolytic cell containing alkaline water. This alkaline water is electrolyzed in the cell to generate hydrogen and oxygen. After further purification, the hydrogen gas will be collected and ultimately transported through pipelines to the hydrogen storage tank, while the remaining waste liquid will re-enter the circulation.
Looking down the pipeline, you can see rows of white spherical hydrogen storage tanks stored behind the factory building. It is reported that there are 10 hydrogen storage tanks stored here, each with a hydrogen storage capacity of approximately 2000 cubic meters. They are currently not only the largest hydrogen storage tanks in the country, but also the largest in terms of quantity.
It is reported that no carbon emissions were generated during the entire process of green hydrogen production. Based on an annual production of 20000 tons of green hydrogen, it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 485000 tons.
Where does the electricity for electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen come from?
Where do these direct currents used for hydrogen production come from?
Fang Hu introduced that the electricity used in hydrogen production plants comes from upstream photovoltaic power plants. The electricity generated in the photovoltaic plant is first raised to 220 kV through inverter boosting, and then sent from the photovoltaic plant to the hydrogen production plant. After voltage reduction in the hydrogen production plant, it is then transported to the electrolytic cell for hydrogen production.
As one of the regions with the longest sunshine time in the country, Xinjiang Kuche has a unique advantage in photovoltaic power generation. Sinopec has broken through the technical difficulties of flexible hydrogen production and continuous and stable supply to downstream refining and chemical enterprises in the context of new energy fluctuations and electricity scenarios through joint research and development.
According to the relevant person in charge, the entire Xinjiang Kuche Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project has adopted the method of "off grid power generation". That is to say, the electricity used for hydrogen production can basically be produced and used by photovoltaic power plants, without relying on the national power grid to provide additional electricity.
Where does the produced hydrogen gas go?
These green hydrogen not only need to be produced, but also need to be used.
Along the sky blue pipeline extending outward from the hydrogen production plant, the prepared green hydrogen will be continuously transported to Sinopec Tahe Refining and Chemical Company for further processing as raw materials for hydrogen containing gasoline and diesel.
Zhao Yan, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Production Department of the Refining Second Operations Department of Sinopec Tahe Refining and Chemical Company, introduced that the green hydrogen produced mainly acts on the gasoline and diesel hydrogenation unit by hydrogenation, removing impurities such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and heavy metals from the gasoline and diesel under the action of a catalyst, in order to improve the final quality of gasoline and diesel products.
Zhao Yan stated that through the Xinjiang Kuche Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project, Tahe Refinery has now achieved complete substitution of green hydrogen for ash hydrogen produced from natural gas power generation, greatly reducing the energy consumption of the entire refinery and also greatly reducing the carbon emissions of the refinery. In addition, during the use of green hydrogen, the purity of green hydrogen has been improved compared to the previous gray hydrogen, which has also reduced the energy consumption of the device and played a more favorable role in the production process.
It is reported that the hydrogen production scale of the Xinjiang Kuche Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project is expected to reach 20000 tons per year, making it China's first 10000 ton level photovoltaic green hydrogen demonstration project. It provides a replicable and promotable demonstration case for the development of the domestic photovoltaic power generation green hydrogen industry. In the future, it will also contribute to promoting the transformation and upgrading of China's energy industry.
