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and ultimately consigning them to a transition too slow for our climate goals, now is the moment to work with these businesses to understand their pains and deliver alternative solutions that make sense for them.
Smoothing the road to hydrogen adoption Further work is needed to make hydrogen supplies secure and truly sustainable. Firstly, not all hydrogen is produced the same way. As of 2019, the majority of hydrogen was generated using fossil fuels. Grey hydrogen, for example, is created using non-renewable energy sources and gives off carbon emissions, while blue hydrogen generation captures these emissions to decrease environmental impact. Green hydrogen, as will be created by the Glasgow project, is produced using electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, leveraging renewable energy to do so. But with so much complexity and uncertainty around the production — and therefore the secure availability — of greener fuels, investing in the infrastructure for a single fuel source presents a high risk to businesses. Companies need to be assured that they can get a long-term and reliable supply of their chosen type of hydrogen or alternative renewable fuel. Due to the diesel generator being so good at the job it was designed for, and the transition to a greener alternative such as hydrogen being a precarious decision, industries currently face a chicken-andegg scenario. Most energy providers don’t have the incentive to increase green hydrogen production when businesses aren’t ready to buy it, but without a reliable supply, business aren’t investing in power generation assets that have demand for those fuels. This will continue to undermine the progress we are making with wind, solar and energy storage. So, what can be done to further the progression towards a truly net-zero energy system for all businesses?
How can we turn aspirations into reality? Fuel agnostic generators offer a way of providing onsite, dispatchable power without the risks presented by renewable fuel supply issues, enabling
businesses to transition away from diesel sooner. These generators utilise a varying combination of fuels to produce the necessary power and switch between sources to ensure they use whichever is the most reliably available at the time – thus reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. Without this adaptability, companies will understandably continue purchasing diesel generators with the intention of running them for their lifespan, delaying the transition to more sustainable fuels for up to ten years at a time. The diesel generator has delivered a one-stop solution for companies no matter their power requirements or location. Now as the transition to a more complex and distributed energy system continues — with hydrogen, wind, solar, and other sustainable fuels — procuring a renewable power solution for business needs is also becoming increasingly complex. For example, a construction company with many sites across the UK or a delivery company with multiple depots require a solution for those cases where wind and solar are not practical or economically feasible. Because of these scenarios, committing to the removal of all diesel generators from construction sites or implementing 100% net-zero power generation isn’t possible. What fuel-agnostic generators offer therefore is another feather in companies’ cap, joining a suite of renewable energy technologies that can deliver netzero power requirements in all circumstances. Although energy security has presented challenges to the adoption of more sustainable fuels, being empowered to seamlessly change between sources will allow businesses to move forwards with their green initiatives. To deliver this vision and achieve a net-zero combination of hydrogen and other renewables as needed, there is a growing pressure for industries, energy suppliers, and technology providers to unite their efforts and help the market mature. Only then do we have all the components needed for a net-zero energy system that can provide power exactly when and where a business needs it.
TOBY GILL CEO, IPG ipg.energy
Find out more about IPG’s work on flameless generator technology at ipg.energy.
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