Mining & Transportation
Fueling from CNG Stations (CNG & RNG)
Mobile CNG and LNG Transportation – CNG and LNG Trailers
Pine Creek Power has partnered with Mine Energy Solutions to deliver a complete High Density Compressed Natural Gas (HDCNG®) supply solution for heavy mine vehicles in the Americas. This includes sourcing the feedstock gas (virtual pipeline service as needed), providing gas processing and fueling station engineering, design and construction, installing engine retro-fits for dual fuel with on-board HDCNG® and modified diesel storage, as well as ongoing service and maintenance for heavy mining vehicles.
Pine Creek Group
Advanced Fuels Companies
Over-The-Road Transportation
Mining and Industrial Transportation
Over-The-Road Fueling Stations
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is used predominantly in fertilizer production and petroleum refining in the United States. Although it is the most abundant element on our plant, hydrogen gas does not exist naturally in any notable quantity, however, must be liberated from other elements and compounds. When hydrogen is combusted with pure oxygen in a fuel cell to create electricity or thermally to create heat or mechanical energy, the only output (emissions) are water (H2O) and energy. It is for this reason that hydrogen has gained widespread attention as a zero-carbon fuel and a feasible replacement to fossil fuels. Just like electricity that can be created in a number of ways (solar, wind, coal, natural gas, hydro, biomass, etc.) , hydrogen is only as green (or carbon free) as the feedstock and process used in its creation.
Hydrogen is also considered an energy carrier as opposed to a primary energy source because like electricity in a transmission line, hydrogen is created from primary energy sources such as natural gas (methane) combustion or electrolysis using electricity from solar, wind, natural gas or other sources.
As of 2020, most hydrogen (∼95%) used in industrial and other processes was produced from fossil fuels using steam reforming or direct non-electrochemical oxidation or gasification processes. Natural Gas reforming is a mature production process that uses low-cost pipeline Natural Gas. As previously indicated, the majority of Hydrogen produced in the United States is made by Natural Gas reforming.
Compression of the hydrogen is essential because hydrogen at room temperature has an extremely low volumetric energy density. To date, even though hydrogen’s energy density per mass far exceeds that of liquid distillates of petroleum (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc.) carbon-based fuel remain the predominant energy carrier.
At Lancer Energy, we work both with Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) as well electrolysis to create hydrogen from natural gas and water respectively for our fueling station projects.
Hydrogen Grading – Standard, Low and Zero Carbon
Hydrogen is often classified a “green”, “blue” or “black, brown or grey” depending on the carbon footprint associated with the end hydrogen gas product. The feedstock for black and brown hydrogen is bituminous and lignite coal respectively, which produces hydrogen gas as well as caron dioxide and carbon monoxide. Blue hydrogen (also often labeled carbon-neutral hydrogen) is created thought SMR of methane, whereby the carbon dioxide is captured and not released into the environment. Typically, however, not all carbon dioxide can be captured, which leads to a pseudo carbon-neutral finished product, which might be better termed, low-carbon hydrogen. Finally, green hydrogen is hydrogen generated 100% through renewable sources.
It should be noted that the entire lifecycle analysis is required for a “true” representation of the carbon emission footprint of any primary energy source, whether or not it is combined with an intermediate energy carrier mechanism such as electrical transmission or hydrogen production. The lifecycle analysis provides an accurate value of the grams of CO2 per mega joule (gCO2/MJ) and allows for the accurate comparison of various fuel pathways.
Carbon-Capture
When carbon capture is combined with green, blue or grey hydrogen, the outcome can be a low, zero, or even negative-carbon hydrogen. In the energy transition from high-carbon to low and zero-carbon fuels, carbon capture and sequestration is a fundamental part of the fuel processing pathway.