Abstract

The Canadian mining industry has yet to tap into the potential of hydrogen to help achieve their decarbonization objectives. As part of a mine's decarbonization strategy, hydrogen can be used as a fuel in heavy mining vehicles, for heating, and for energy. At least 30 % to 50 % of a mine's total energy usage are attributable to combustion emissions, which could be mitigated if hydrogen were used to replace aboveground and underground power usage and to fuel surface, heavy-duty mining vehicles. Currently, there is a hydrogen supply and storage disparity. Heavy-duty trucks are expected to be the largest consumer of hydrogen requiring 110 MT of hydrogen in 2050; with a predicted global demand of 660 MT, up from 90 MT today. Aside from market maturity, there are technical risks associated with hydrogen.

While the chemical risks of hydrogen are well established, the risks of utilizing hydrogen within a dynamic mine site are not yet widely known. Hydrogen is a light molecule, can easily permeate materials, and has a high dispersion rate; therefore, risks associated with hydrogen leakage must be identified. Hydrogen is especially dangerous as it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Explosion and fire are two (2) of the most serious risks associated with hydrogen leaks. These technical risks must be identified to scale hydrogen supply to meet the 2050 demand. 

Hydrogen production is a growing field that may be challenged to meet demand. Electrolysis is expected to account for two-thirds of all hydrogen generation methods by 2030. Current global installation capacity will be more than 1 GW by the end of 2022 with the required installation capacity exceeding 700 GW of electrolysis by 2030. If all hydrogen were produced via water electrolysis, the annual electricity demand could be as high as 3,600 TWh, which is greater than the annual electricity production of the European Union. Currently, there is insufficient hydrogen storage to meet the demand. Hydrogen storage in the US currently ranges from 5 to 8 Bcf, meeting the demand to replace merely 10% of natural gas would require 1,000 Bcf. There are two (2) types of hydrogen storage pathways: physical and material. Each storage option comes with its challenges and is best suited for specific applications. 

To achieve our global objective of a net zero future, hydrogen will play a critical role as an energy carrier and one that is experiencing unprecedented attention today, as evidenced by Anglo American’s partnership with ENGIE to supply, store and refuel their nuGen™ Zero Emission Haulage Solution. The supply and demand imbalance cannot be resolved unless the underlying storage challenges are identified and addressed. This paper investigates the chemical, and physical constraints of hydrogen storage, and the capability of hydrogen storage to meet the expanding supply and demand for hydrogen in the Canadian mining industry.