A Case Study of System Reliability and Availability of Blue Hydrogen Production

The transition toward a low-carbon future has positioned hydrogen as a critical energy carrier, with blue hydrogen emerging as a bridge between conventional fossil fuels and cleaner alternatives. Blue hydrogen is produced by reforming natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce CO₂ emissions, representing an intermediary solution between grey and green hydrogen. However, ensuring the reliability of the complex systems (e.g. the hydrogen production systems) is critical for economic feasibility, operational safety, and environmental sustain-ability.
This paper analyses the system reliability of blue hydrogen production technologies, evaluating the challenges in reliability modelling and assessment specific to these systems. It addresses key issues such as the integration of multiple technologies, data limitations, operational risks, and the performance of critical equipment. Through this analysis, the study highlights the importance of robust reliability engineering frameworks towards the challenges of blue hydrogen systems.

Keywords: Blue hydrogen, Reliability, Availability, Maintenance, System failures, Hydrogen production.