Is nuclear power more competitive producing electricity or hydrogen?. (8th November 2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rothwell, Geoffrey; Williams, Kent
• Is Part Of: International journal of nuclear hydrogen production and applications. Volume 1:Number 2(2006)
• Page Start: 154
• Page End: 169
• Publication Date: 2006-11-08
• Subjects: carbon dioxide -- carbon taxes -- electricity economics -- gas-cooled reactors -- hydrogen production -- hydrogen energy -- natural gas -- nuclear power economics -- steam methane reforming -- carbon restriction -- nuclear energy -- high-temperature gas reactors -- HTGR -- modular helium reactors; Hydrogen -- Periodicals; Hydrogen industry -- Periodicals; Nuclear industry -- Periodicals; 665.81
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-4939

Abstract

Steam methane reforming is the world's dominant hydrogen production technology, using natural gas as both feedstock and fuel, but producing more than 9 kg of CO2 for each kilogram of H2 . Natural gas prices between $6 and $8/GJ yield an average hydrogen production cost between $12 and $15/GJ, excluding the cost of CO2 . High-temperature gas reactors, e.g. the modular helium reactor, can be configured to produce hydrogen using thermochemical processes with a projected average cost of $15/GJ. Also, spent fuel from modular helium reactors is well suited for very long-term repository storage. However, natural gas prices of $8/GJ make electricity generation from modular helium reactors extremely competitive with respect to combined-cycle gas turbines. Therefore, the modular helium reactor is likely to be more profitable in electricity markets than in hydrogen markets under carbon restriction regimes.