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SUSTAINABILITY
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Accelerating the Energy Transformation with the Help of Protective Coatings for the Hydrogen Industry
Edited by Teknos Group OY – Helsinki, Finland
Hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role for the future of the energy industry, so it is important that the related infrastructures are protected and perform well. Teknos is researching new protective coatings solutions and setting industry standards to support the acceleration towards a greener transformation.
The energy sector is currently experiencing a transition that has recently been accelerated by the energy crisis that many European countries have to deal with. In addition, from the perspective of climate, humanity is in a hurry to move from burning fossil fuels to using more sustainable sources of energy. At the centre of this green transition can be found hydrogen, a clean-burning molecule that is everywhere in the nature. Industrial carbon emissions can be significantly reduced with the help of hydrogen and green hydrogen is a way to replace the use of fossil fuels. Hydrogen is a way to store energy in the form of gas from renewable sources that are not stable in production – like wind and solar power – and it can be used as an energy raw material in many different places. As a matter of fact, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen is determined to be crucial for meeting the Paris Agreement goals and, subsequently, to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. As a result, the global hydrogen market is predicted to grow significantly over the coming years. The European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative1 shows that by 2030 there will be five pan-European hydrogen supply and import corridors with almost 28,000 km of initial pipelines, connecting industrial clusters, ports and hydrogen valleys. Moreover, in the strategic vision of the European Union for a climate-neutral continent2, published in November 2018, the share of hydrogen in
Europe’s energy mix is projected to grow from the current less than 2% to 13-14% by 2050. With its strong focus on sustainability and innovation, the Finnish coatings manufacturer Teknos is looking to ensure that its products meet the needs of the future energy industry. Protective coating solutions can protect hydrogen pipelines and make the storage and transportation of hydrogen safer and more efficient.
However, on the way towards the visions for hydrogen, there are still several uncertainties to tackle. For example, the challenge in transporting and storing hydrogen in pipelines is that it may detrimentally influence the steel surface of the pipes. “Green hydrogen can contribute to the growing energy demand, but we need to overcome some challenges. Hydrogen degrades the mechanical properties of most metals, accelerating fatigue and decreasing the fracture resistance of pipes, especially at dynamic pressure variations, which can cause pipeline parts to fail,” has explained Andreas Karpow, the R&D Manager Energy from Teknos Group. “Coatings can protect steel against the impact of hydrogen and in addition can significantly decrease the friction inside the pipe for more efficient transfer of gas.” Teknos has a long history and track record in developing high-quality protective coating solutions for the energy sector, and the company is also currently undertaking research with its products to ensure the safety and durability of future hydrogen infrastructure. “We are proactively searching for solutions to support the hydrogen industry using our extensive experience gained from many years supporting the energy sector,” has continued Karpow.
Standardisation for a greener transition
Hydrogen is also expected to play a key role not just in the creation of electricity but also in replacing fossil fuels in other areas such as aviation, maritime and heavy transport. As a result, the global hydrogen market is predicted to grow significantly over the coming years. In the report “A Hydrogen Strategy for a climate-neutral Europe”3, analysts estimate that clean hydrogen could meet 24% of the world’s energy demand by 2050, with annual sales in the range of €630 billion. “Failures in the energy sector not only cost time and money but can also have a massive environmental impact. As a result, strict codes and standards have been created to ensure that the assets are well protected. Teknos has a history of working in some of the most highly regulated environments such as Nuclear, Oil & Gas, and Renewables where quality, functionality, and durability are key requirements for coating suppliers. The Hydrogen industry will be no different and so we
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are creating high-quality solutions to ensure the safety and efficiency of the green energy transition,” has commented Clare McDermott, the Business Development Director from Teknos Group. As the industry is still in the early stages of development, there are no fully defined standards or requirements for protective coatings used in hydrogen pipelines or storage tanks. To accelerate the development of the industry, Teknos is working closely with its partners and proactively taking the initiative in developing standardised practices. “We follow the development of the industry and aim to predict standards. Testing products and creating standards and guidelines are at the centre of our
1 https://ehb.eu/ 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0773 3 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/carriage/eu-hydrogen-strategy/report?sid=6001
operations. This is important because it contributes to the safer use of hydrogen as a source of energy,” has also added McDermott.
Successful field testing for Teknos' coatings
The company has then conducted a product testing together with MÜLHEIM PIPECOATINGS GmbH, as part of the hydrogen research programme of EUROPIPE GmbH’s. Teknos tested different coatings in pure hydrogen, in order to evaluate their suitability for use in hydrogen transport. The testing proved to be successful, showing that the protective coatings formulated and manufactured by Teknos can increase the durability of hydrogen pipelines. TEKNOPOX 3296-06 and TEKNOPOX 3297-00 coating systems performed especially well when tested in the pure hydrogen environment; no blistering, degradation or reduction of adhesion was observed. “EUROPIPE’s pipes were internally coated with Teknos coatings. This was an important milestone indicating that our coating solutions can be used for hydrogen pipelines, supporting the transition toward green energy and demonstrating our strong commitment to sustainability,” has clarified Karpow. “At Teknos, we will continue our research into how our coatings can help the hydrogen industry by creating increased durability and transportation efficiency. The best solutions are found in cooperation and we will continue to work with our industry partners,” has concluded McDermott. ‹
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