The potential benefits are examined of the “Power-to-Gas” (P2G) scheme to utilize excess wind power capacity by generating hydrogen (or potentially methane) for use in the natural gas distribution grid. A parametric analysis is used to determine the feasibility and size of systems producing hydrogen that would be injected into the natural gas grid. Specifically, wind farms located in southwestern Ontario, Canada are considered. Infrastructure requirements, wind farm size, pipeline capacity, geographical dispersion, hydrogen production rate, capital and operating costs are used as performance measures. The model takes into account the potential production rate of hydrogen and the rate that it can be injected into the local gas grid. “Straw man” systems are examined, centered on a wind farm size of 100 MW integrating a 16-MW capacity electrolysis system typically producing 4700 kg of hydrogen per day.

The consumption of hot water represents a significant portion of national energy consumption and contributes to concerns associated with global climate change. Utilizing heat recovered from the sewer, or the stored heat by utilizing heat pumps with a borehole geothermal energy storage system, are simple and effective ways of heating water for domestic purposes. Reclaiming heat from the waste warm water that is discharged to the sewer or stored heat in a borehole geothermal energy storage system can help reduce natural gas energy consumption as well as the associated energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, sewer waste heat recovery is compared with heat pumps using geothermal energy storage systems for a small community shared water heating system including commercial and institutional buildings. It is found that the sewer heat exchanger method is relatively economical as it has the smallest rate of return on investment for the selected community size. The findings also demonstrate a reduction occurs in natural gas consumption and fewer CO₂ gas emissions are emitted to the atmosphere. The results are intended to allow energy technology suppliers to work with communities while accounting appropriately for economic issues and CO₂ emissions associated with these energy technologies.

This paper examines the options and benefits of hydrogen utilization in various segments of the wind energy market. A parametric analysis is done to determine the feasibility and optimal size of wind farms and an electrolysis system producing hydrogen to be distributed via several means including the natural gas pipeline grid. This paper examines the wind farms available in Southern Ontario, Canada. Infrastructure requirements, wind farm size, pipeline capacity, geographical dispersion, cost and hydrogen production rate are used as performance measures throughout the study. The results indicate the feasibility and economic factors of the size of wind farms, electrolysis systems and production rates of hydrogen that can utilized for a community vehicle fleet fuelling, industrial demand, natural gas augmentation and stored energy applications. “Straw man” systems are examined, centered on a wind farm size of 100 MW integrating a 16 MW capacity electrolysis system producing 4,700 kg of hydrogen per day.