Site Analysis of Biogenic Hydrogen Production

As global energy demand is projected to increase in the future, reducing the reliance on finite and unsustainable fossil fuel reserves has become a critical priority. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising alternative to meet this growing energy demand. Although hydrogen can be produced through various methods, this study focuses on producing hydrogen from biomass through dark fermentation, a process referred to as orange hydrogen. The primary objective of this research is to identify suitable sites for hydrogen production and to evaluate the feasibility of integrating this process into existing biogas infrastructure. To achieve this goal, the study explores several key hypotheses and considerations. These include enhancing efficiency in dark fermentation for hydrogen production, analyzing factors that significantly influence hydrogen yield, and developing theoretical models to understand the hydrogen generation process. The study also examines the theoretical potential for the production of hydrogen from silage maize. The findings reveal that the integration of hydrogen production into the existing biogas infrastructure is a highly effective strategy. In addition, the study identified various critical factors that greatly impact the hydrogen generation process. Furthermore, theoretical modeling shows that hydrogen production is closely related to cellular growth, indicating that increasing the cell mass can enhance the hydrogen yield. By strategically controlling cellular mass expansion, the hydrogen generation process can be optimized. A case study focusing on Germany in 2024 estimates that the theoretical hydrogen potential of silage maize could reach an energy yield of 0.3992 terawatt hours (TWh). Furthermore, Lower Saxony and Bavaria are identified as favorable regions for biohydrogen production using silage maize as the primary substrate. These insights provide a basis for optimizing the hydrogen production process and identifying strategic locations for biohydrogen production.