Guyana Hydrogen Energy Technology Adoption Part I

By Dr. Lorraine Sobers

There are two forms of folks: those that settle for and undertake new expertise earlier than it turns into mainstream and those that await the hype to die down. The power sector has its fair proportion of hype and buzzwords. New expertise, born out of years of quiet analysis and improvement, can immediately burst onto the scene at press conferences and market predictions. Enterprise capitalist, buyers, and in a single day consultants hop on to the hype prepare looking for that first mover benefit.

Hydrogen gasoline is now the present shiny object that’s charming the eye throughout the Caribbean area. Hydrogen and its promise to remodel transportation and power is being held up because the alternative for fossil fuels. Not too long ago, the Biden Administration announced that it’ll make investments USD 7 billion for “America’s first clear hydrogen hubs, driving clear manufacturing and delivering new financial alternatives nationwide”

Hydrogen may imply huge cash for Guyana. Deloitte has estimated that demand for international hydrogen will develop six-fold by 2050 making the marketplace for inexperienced hydrogen to be price USD 1.4 trillion supporting 2 million jobs yearly worldwide.

At this stage, it’s honest to ask, ought to hydrogen gasoline type a part of Guyana’s low carbon improvement technique? As all the time, a needle level steadiness of information and proactivity is required to keep away from shopping for into empty hype. Whether or not Guyana undertakes hydrogen manufacturing is dependent upon precedence for gasoline utilization, alignment with the coverage for low carbon improvement, market situations and naturally profitability. Earlier than I delve into the enterprise finish of the hydrogen business, enable me to first deal with the foundational components wanted for Guyana’s finest pursuits in hydrogen and within the oil and gasoline house – secure operations, public consciousness and native content material.

Hydrogen as a Gasoline

The thought of utilizing hydrogen as gasoline will not be new. Inexperienced hydrogen, that’s hydrogen produced utilizing renewable power, can be utilized to generate power with out carbon emissions.  Hydrogen generated from pure gasoline paired with CO₂ sequestration is named blue hydrogen. It’s attainable that Guyana’s offshore gasoline delivered to shore may be put to this use and stay carbon impartial. Cleaner burning pure gasoline is already a key a part of Guyana’s Low Carbon Growth Technique—hydrogen may open up one more avenue for sustainable use of gasoline.

Though current expertise for hydrogen gasoline wants some modifications to be tailored for giant scale present-day utility, it guarantees to switch bunker gasoline and pure gasoline in a number of functions. Security considerations about storing and utilizing massive volumes of hydrogen come from a data of chemistry and historical past. Hydrogen is flammable, burning with a close to invisible flame, and is way lighter than air. In observe because of this a leak of hydrogen will shortly dissipate however particular flame detectors will probably be wanted to detect a hydrogen flame. Hydrogen is non-toxic, not like most fuels generally used, but it surely has a decrease ignition power, that’s, it ignites extra simply, than gasoline or pure gasoline.

Within the case of the latter, we should pause to recall the Hindenburg catastrophe. The Hindenburg was a German, hydrogen-fueled blimp which caught hearth and failed catastrophically early in its life. The exact reason for the tragedy is unknown. What we all know for positive is that the inferno claimed 37 human lives. Public belief in blimps by no means actually recovered.

It isn’t unusual for unfamiliar applied sciences to be handled with public hesitation and nervousness. Moreover, the joy of recent technological alternatives and the noise of various voices advancing their agendas can cloud resolution making. Concern of change and new expertise can sluggish progress, however public consciousness and consultations can be utilized to make sure that all legitimate considerations are heard and addressed.

Secure Adoption

Business laws and requirements usually are not usually meant to hinder newcomers, however somewhat to forestall repeats of previous calamities. Step one in adopting new expertise is a mindset of working with regard to well being, security and the surroundings (HSE). Within the early days of many business repercussions are poorly understood. These misunderstandings typically result in expensive destructive outcomes. So expensive are these outcomes that even essentially the most oblivious and revenue motivated actors cease and take inventory.

The directions on methods to keep away from tragedies, wastage and air pollution are referred to as ‘finest practices’. When the State enforces finest practices, they develop into laws for industrial functions. Guyana might want to assess, adapt and undertake the perfect practices of the business with mechanisms for enforcement to make sure secure operations. Regardless of Guyana’s nascent arrival within the oil and gasoline business, the maturity of that international business has paved the best way for decrease HSE danger than there was 50, 70 or 100 years in the past. Guyana is properly positioned to capitalize on laws, finest practices and insurance policies established in different jurisdictions. On this sense Guyana has the final mover benefit. Will probably be a while earlier than anybody can boast an identical stage of experience with hydrogen.

Public Consciousness

This results in a vital ingredient of adopting new expertise: public consciousness. Public notion could make or break the plans for implementing new expertise. Dangerous press, misinformation, protest, sabotage and violence resulting in the withdrawal of buyers represents the worse-case situation. Nobody will probably be properly served by such an end result. Early involvement, training and collaboration with the general public is required on the outset. It isn’t sufficient to have a low carbon output, fiscal and authorized frameworks in place, funding and feasibility research.

With the fast growth by means of international direct funding, the Guyanese inhabitants should get accustomed to common participation in stakeholder conferences and responding to requires feedback on plans and techniques. It isn’t far-fetched to inculcate this type of progressive, not obstructionist, civic mindedness on the main and secondary faculty stage. Vital spending and energy have to be channeled to all types of media to achieve residents all through the bodily and socio-economic panorama.

Native Content material

Going a step additional than public consciousness is equipping the labor drive with the training and coaching within the operation and upkeep of heavy business. The intricacies of hydrogen manufacturing, storage, and transportation have grabbed present international consideration. If Guyana will get their youth properly educated in STEM, their place because the final mover strengthens even additional. I’ve advocated for such training in previous articles, however it’s price reiterating that Guyanas’s youth want a powerful basis in Arithmetic and English to entry the alternatives afforded by means of new and current applied sciences.

Most of the similar finest practices apply to hydrogen and the oil and gasoline enterprise already booming in Guyana: creating a sturdy security tradition, public consciousness, and technical capability constructing in Guyana. In my subsequent article I’ll talk about adoption of hydrogen gasoline expertise within the context of 1) precedence for gasoline utilization, 2) alignment with the coverage for low carbon improvement,  3)market situations and naturally, 4) profitability for Guyana.

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Dr. Lorraine Sobers is a Fulbright Scholar presently lecturing on the College of the West Indies, St. Augustine. Dr Sobers has a BS in Chemical Engineering and postgraduate levels, MS and Ph.D., in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech and Imperial Faculty, London respectively. She has 20 years’ expertise within the power sector specializing in Carbon Seize and Storage (CCS). Dr Sobers is a Fellow of the Caribbean Coverage Consortium.