ABSTRACT
The energy transition and the global imperative towards sustainability and a low carbon economy are driving a need to explore new energy models and solutions. Clean hydrogen is gaining recognition as one of the possible routes to accelerating decarbonization of high-emission sectors such as industry and heavy mobility. The global hydrogen industry is on the verge of reaching a critical juncture, but there remain some real challenges, ranging from advancing production technologies, lowering costs, overcoming logistical challenges to activating and growing demand for clean and green hydrogen. At the same time, sugar industries have enormous potential to contribute to the transition to sustainable, greener, low or no carbon, energy. The transition focal point has typically been on the generation of renewable electricity or the production of biofuels. Another green energy avenue, that is increasingly considered, is the production of biogas and biomethane, which can be produced from a variety of feedstocks, including from within the sugar industry. Clean hydrogen production offers another potential opportunity for the global sugar industry, due to the availability to utilise ethanol or by-products like bagasse, molasses, filter mud/press cake, and vinasse/spent wash. These materials can serve as feedstocks for hydrogen production, creating another possible sustainable and value-added pathway for the global sugar industry. The objective of this study is to examine the potential market for clean hydrogen, the associated challenges and possible limitations and to define how the world sugar industry can find a pathway to the clean and green hydrogen opportunity. Clean hydrogen is a potential game changer in the transition to a low carbon economy. The sugar industries in both India and Brazil are already developing technology to ensure the clean hydrogen opportunity can be realized.
INTRODUCTION
1. HYDROGEN: HYPE VERSUS HOPE
2. THE HYDROGEN COLOUR SPECTRUM
2.1. HYDROGEN TYPES
2.2. BIOMASS HYDROGEN
2.3. BIO METHANE PYROLYSIS
3. CURRENT AND PROJECTED WORLD HYDROGEN USE
3.1. CURRENT
3.2. FUTURE
3.3. UNLOCKING DEMAND FOR CLEAN HYDROGEN
4. CURRENT AND PROJECTED WORLD HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
4.1. CURRENT PRODUCTIONS
4.2. FUTURE
4.3. GREEN HYDROGEN FROM ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER
4.4. POTENTIAL FOR GLOBAL RENEWABLE HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
5. THE ECONOMICS OF CLEAN/GREEN HYDROGEN
6. HYDROGEN STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION
7. POSSIBLE EVOLUTION OF A GLOBAL HYDROGEN ECONOMY
8. WORLD SUGAR – PATHWAYS TO THE CLEAN HYDROGEN OPPORTUNITY
8.1 SUGARCANE
8.2 SUGAR BEET
8.3 HYDROGEN IN WORLD SUGAR
INDIA
BRAZIL
EU
CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX A: SELECTED PATHWAYS TO CLEAN HYDROGEN FOR THE SUGARCANE INDUSTRY