Ameer Randolph
Nuclear power plants are being leveraged to lower the cost and scale up the production of clean hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in decarbonizing transportation, chemical production, steel manufacturing, and power and heat production. It can be used across multiple sectors to store and deliver usable energy to power the grid, drive industrial processes, or create energy-dense fuels needed for long-haul trucks and airplanes. Clean hydrogen can be produced through several processes, including low-temperature steam electrolysis, high-temperature steam electrolysis, and water electrolysis. The US Department of Energy has selected two projects to advance flexible operation of light-water reactors with integrated hydrogen production systems, and Westinghouse is exploring the use of water electrolysis at existing light-water reactors to create up to 150,000 tons of clean hydrogen per year from a single reactor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen production from a single 1000-megawatt nuclear reactor | 150,000 tons of hydrogen per year |
| Hydrogen production from FuelCell Energy's 1.1 MW system | 600 kg of hydrogen per day |
| Hydrogen demand in 2018 | 74 million tons |
| Hydrogen demand in 2050 | Expected to grow tenfold from 2018 |
| Hydrogen production temperature | 550-750 °C or more |
| Hydrogen production method | Electrolysis |
| Hydrogen applications | Fuel for transportation, manufacturing, carbon-neutral synthetic fuels, nitrogen fertilizers, industrial-scale replacement for coke in steelmaking, and other metallurgical processes |
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What You'll Learn
- Hydrogen production from nuclear energy is low-cost and carbon-free
- Hydrogen has multiple uses, including transport fuel and industrial processes
- Hydrogen is not an energy source and must be made using energy
- Westinghouse is exploring the use of water electrolysis at Light Water Reactors
- Hydrogen production from nuclear energy has the potential to meet emerging demand
Hydrogen production from nuclear energy is low-cost and carbon-free
Nuclear energy can be used to produce hydrogen fuel through electrolysis, and in the future, high-temperature reactors may also be used to produce hydrogen thermochemically. Hydrogen is widely seen as a future transport fuel and is already used in the production of liquid transport fuels from crude oil. It can also be combined with carbon dioxide to make important transport fuels such as methanol or dimethyl ether (DME).
Currently, about 95% of hydrogen is created through a process that uses fossil fuels, resulting in carbon emissions. However, hydrogen produced using nuclear energy is carbon-free. This makes it an attractive option for achieving global decarbonization and net-zero commitments.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is investing billions to help lower the cost and scale up the production of clean hydrogen by leveraging the country's existing nuclear power plants. One of the ways this is being done is by diverting thermal and electrical energy from existing nuclear reactors to hydrogen production plants. This method of hydrogen production has the potential to be the lowest-cost zero-carbon hydrogen available, especially if the electrolysis system operates at high efficiency and can benefit from the efficiency increase provided by waste heat from the nuclear plant.
Solid oxide electrolysis, in particular, is ideal for producing hydrogen from nuclear power sources. This process involves splitting water in the form of steam into oxygen and hydrogen at the electrodes on the surface of a ceramic membrane. The already high efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis systems can be further increased by using waste heat from the nuclear power plant, lowering the cost per kilogram of hydrogen produced.
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Hydrogen has multiple uses, including transport fuel and industrial processes
Hydrogen is widely viewed as a future transport fuel. It can be used in fuel cells to power vehicles with zero emissions of air pollutants. Hydrogen fuel cells are much more efficient than internal combustion engines that run on gasoline. Hydrogen can also be combined with carbon dioxide to make methanol or dimethyl ether, which are important transport fuels.
Hydrogen is also used in industrial processes. In the United States, most hydrogen is used for refining petroleum, treating metals, producing fertilizer, and processing foods. Hydrogen is also used in industrial-scale steelmaking and other metallurgical processes. Hydrogen can be used to lower the sulfur content of fuels and to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for use as renewable diesel.
The production of hydrogen using nuclear energy is a promising method for the future. Nuclear reactors can provide the constant heat and electricity needed to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. High-temperature reactors may also be used to produce hydrogen thermochemically. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that a single 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant could produce up to 150,000 tons of hydrogen each year. This hydrogen can be sold for various applications, including transportation and manufacturing.
The use of hydrogen in the energy sector is also being explored. Hydrogen can be used to store energy produced through renewable sources, such as wind and solar, for later use in electricity generation. Hydrogen can also be used as a supplement or replacement for natural gas in power plants.
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$173.19 $260
Hydrogen is not an energy source and must be made using energy
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It is highly combustible and energy-dense, but it only naturally occurs on Earth in compounds formed with other elements, such as oxygen, with which it forms water (H2O). Hydrogen is not an energy source in and of itself, but it can be used as an energy carrier to store and deliver usable energy. It can also be used to create energy-dense fuels for long-haul trucks and airplanes.
Hydrogen is produced for fuel use through methods such as steam-methane reforming and electrolysis. Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. While electricity derived from any source can be used to create hydrogen through electrolysis, low or non-carbon emitting technologies such as solar, wind, and nuclear power are preferred as they result in "clean hydrogen". Clean hydrogen can be used to achieve decarbonization goals and for the long-term storage of intermittent energy sources.
Nuclear energy can be used to make hydrogen through electrolysis, and in the future, high-temperature reactors are likely to be used to make it thermochemically. The US Department of Energy has selected several projects to advance the flexible operation of light-water reactors with integrated hydrogen production systems. One such project involves the construction and installation of a low-temperature electrolysis system at the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant, which will be the first nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility in the US. The DOE estimates that a single 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant could produce up to 150,000 tons of hydrogen each year.
While hydrogen is not an energy source, it has important applications in the production of liquid transport fuels from crude oil and as a replacement for coke in steelmaking and other metallurgical processes. Hydrogen can be combined with carbon dioxide to make methanol or dimethyl ether (DME), which are important transport fuels. It also has potential to replace oil as a transport fuel and in other applications.
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Westinghouse is exploring the use of water electrolysis at Light Water Reactors
As a global leader in the nuclear industry, Westinghouse is exploring methods to produce clean hydrogen fuel at nuclear power plants. The company is investigating the use of water electrolysis at existing Light Water Reactors and in advanced reactor designs. The process of electrolysis involves using electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen, and Westinghouse aims to create up to 150,000 tonnes of clean hydrogen per year from a single reactor. This initiative aligns with the growing demand for carbon-free hydrogen fuel, which is expected to increase tenfold by 2050.
Westinghouse's research and development have confirmed the feasibility of diverting thermal and electrical energy from a Generation III PWR nuclear power reactor to a hydrogen production plant, often referred to as a hydrogen island. By integrating a hydrogen island into the Westinghouse AP1000® nuclear reactor, the company has designed a process to produce hydrogen at existing nuclear power plants. This approach offers several advantages, including emissions-free fuel and new revenue streams for plant owner-operators.
The Westinghouse AP1000® pressurized water reactor (PWR) is recognized as the most advanced commercially available nuclear power plant. It boasts simplified plant design, including advancements in overall safety systems, normal operating systems, control room technology, construction techniques, and instrumentation and control systems. The AP1000® reactor has set a new industry standard for PWRs, leveraging six decades of successful nuclear power plant operation and enhanced equipment.
Furthermore, the AP1000® reactor is designed with improved passive nuclear safety features and cost-effectiveness in mind. It employs a two-loop cooling system, utilizing a single steam generator and two reactor coolant pumps in each loop, making it simpler and more affordable than comparable systems. The AP1000® reactor also excels in land usage, requiring significantly less concrete and rebar reinforcing compared to older PWR designs.
Westinghouse's exploration of water electrolysis at Light Water Reactors demonstrates its commitment to defining the role of nuclear power in clean hydrogen production. By leveraging electrolysis and the capabilities of the AP1000® reactor, Westinghouse is leading the way in harnessing nuclear energy for the creation of important and needed products, such as clean hydrogen. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the transition to carbon-free energy sources.
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Hydrogen production from nuclear energy has the potential to meet emerging demand
Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in the transition to clean energy, particularly in decarbonizing transportation, chemical production, steel manufacturing, and power and heat production. Hydrogen is widely seen as a future transport fuel, with the potential to replace oil. Hydrogen can also be combined with carbon dioxide to make important transport fuels like methanol or dimethyl ether (DME).
Currently, most hydrogen is created through a process that uses fossil fuels, resulting in carbon emissions. However, nuclear energy can be used to make hydrogen cleanly, through electrolysis. Solid oxide electrolysis, in particular, can be ideal for producing hydrogen from nuclear power sources. In this process, water in the form of steam is split into oxygen and hydrogen at the electrodes on the surface of a ceramic membrane. The efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis systems can be further increased by using waste heat from the nuclear power plant, lowering the cost per kilogram of hydrogen produced.
Nuclear generation does not emit carbon, so hydrogen produced from nuclear-derived electrolysis is zero-carbon hydrogen. This makes it a good candidate to meet the emerging demand for clean energy. The US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that a single 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant could produce up to 150,000 tons of hydrogen each year. This hydrogen can be sold for various applications, including fertilizers, oil refining, steel production, material handling equipment, fuel cell vehicles, and carbon-neutral synthetic fuels.
There are already several projects underway to demonstrate the feasibility of producing hydrogen using nuclear energy. For example, Energy Harbor is working to demonstrate a low-temperature electrolysis system at the Davis–Besse Nuclear Power Station, with the goal of proving the technical feasibility and economic benefits of clean hydrogen production. Bloom Energy and Xcel Energy are also working on a project to demonstrate high-temperature electrolysis at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. These projects have the potential to pave the way for the large-scale commercialization of clean hydrogen production using nuclear energy.
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Frequently asked questions
A single 1000-megawatt nuclear reactor can produce up to 150,000 tons of hydrogen each year.
Hydrogen fuel can be produced using nuclear energy through a process called electrolysis, where electricity is used to split water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen.
Nuclear energy can be used to produce hydrogen fuel without carbon emissions, making it a clean and sustainable option. It also has the potential to be a low-cost method of hydrogen production.
Hydrogen fuel is expected to play a key role in decarbonizing transportation. It can be used as a fuel for vehicles, including long-haul trucks, airplanes, and local bus fleets.
In the future, high-temperature nuclear reactors are likely to be used to produce hydrogen thermochemically, through the decomposition of water using heat from nuclear energy. This could further reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of hydrogen production.
