Carbon neutral hydrogen production from biogas with CO2 capture

초록

In this study, the commercial-scale feasibility of an integrated biogas-to-hydrogen process incorporating a hydrogen refueling station and a CO₂ utilization system was evaluated using actual operational data. A combined framework of detailed process modeling, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to assess economic and environmental performance. The TEA results highlight the significance of economies of scale: while the system is economically unviable at 546 kg H₂/day (Net Present Value (NPV) = –$4.29million),andmarginalprofitabilityisachievedat1092kg{H}_2/day(NPV=$0.42 million). At this optimal scale, the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) is $7.04/kg H₂, confirming competitiveness within the clean hydrogen market. Sensitivity analysis identified total capital expenditure (CAPEX), plant capacity factor, and electricity price as the most critical parameters influencing project viability. The LCA results reveal that environmental performance is primarily dictated by the energy supply chain: the base case using the conventional grid mix results in a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 11.52 kg CO₂ eq/kg H₂, whereas integrating 100% renewable electricity and utilizing process off-gases for thermal energy achieves carbon negativity with a net GWP of –4.15 kg CO₂ eq/kg H₂. © 2026 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers.

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