Date:
Location:
A Harvard-China Project Research Seminar with Haiyang Lin, Harvard-China Project Postdoctoral Fellow
RSVP Attendance
(helpful, but not required)
Abstract: Texas, as the largest oil and natural gas producer in the United States, faces significant challenges in the global move towards decarbonization. As a potential solution, this study examines the feasibility of investing in green hydrogen, a promising alternative to oil and gas as a primary energy source. By harnessing its abundant wind and solar resources, Texas has the potential to become a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen, reducing its carbon footprint and promoting a sustainable energy future.
This research conducts detailed simulations and optimizations of green hydrogen supply scenarios, incorporating decarbonization of the power sector in Texas. The objective is to explore the role of Texas's green hydrogen in decarbonizing its economy and reducing the carbon footprint of energy use in the United States more broadly. First, the potential of renewable sources is estimated. Hydrogen supply, pipeline planning, and grid expansion are then integrated to assess opportunities for using zero-carbon hydrogen in transport services, industrial processes, and chemical production. The study reveals that Texas has significant advantages in an expanding hydrogen economy, including abundant renewable sources, existing infrastructure, and availability of salt caverns for storage, all of which provide both scale and cost benefits, as well as enhanced grid stability. Under 2030 low carbon policy restrictions, more than 20 million tons of hydrogen can be produced and then used as fuel or converted to other chemicals at a competitive cost compared to fossil fuel sources. Retrofitting extensive oil and gas pipelines originating from Texas or constructing new pipelines, Texas can maintain its role as an energy exporter, contributing to the energy needs of the country in a sustainable manner.
Dr. Haiyang Lin's research studies the characteristics of energy supply and demand, and puts forward the optimization method of distributed and centralized energy system based on the principle of supply demand coordination and multi-energy complementarity. On demand side, he uses an agent-based method to simulate high resolution energy consumption and demand response in building and transportation sector. On supply side, the off-design characteristics and operational flexibility of energy devices and the uncertainty and intermittency of renewable energy sources are taken into account to develop the optimal configuration and operational strategy for integrated energy systems, to ensure an economic and environmentally friendly energy supply.
Sponsored by Harvard-China Project, Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.