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Argentina has a wide availability of renewable resources, which provides important advantages for the hydrogen vector incorporation. The province of Córdoba is an excellent model case for the study of the rapid incorporation of hydrogen as fuel, to replace 20% V/V of natural gas consumed in vehicular use. This does not involve major changes in infrastructure or modifications to the vehicles. This paper computes and analyzes the levelized cost of hydrogen with the emissions associated for each part of the complete hydrogen supply chain. Two different production sources were used: renewable energies sources and the Argentine electrical grid; and two production pathways: in situ and centralized production. Comparing the same volume of proposed hydrogen compressed natural gas and current CNG, a cost decrease in the majority of the scenarios and a CO 2 eq emission reduction ranging from 19.5 to 8.2% are achieved, even if the hydrogen is produced using the carbon-intensive grid electricity. • The Production of hydrogen to replace part of the CNG used in vehicles is proposed. • Levelized cost of hydrogen and the emissions associated was assessed. • The study includes the entire supply chain from production to the filling station. • The use of HCNG results in a reduction of emissions in all the studied scenarios. • The new fuel is economically favorable, becoming relevant for rapid energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hydrogen safety issues and especially hydrogen hazard''s address are key points to remove any safety-related barrier in the implementation process of hydrogen energy systems. Demonstrative systems based on hydrogen technologies represent a clear contribution to the task of showing the feasibility of the new technologies and their beneficial capabilities among the public. In this paper, the safety features of the first hydrogen energy demonstrative plant conceived in Latin America are analyzed. The facilities, located in the village of Pico Truncado, Patagonia, Argentina, serve to gain day-to-day experience in the production, storage, distribution, conversion and use of hydrogen in several applications. The plant uses electrolysis to generate pure hydrogen from renewable primary sources, taking advantage of the installed wind power capacity that is continually growing in the region. The installations were designed to accomplish with two primary objectives: total safety assurance and minimization of human errors. Some details of the plant, including a general layout, are presented here, in addition with design criteria, hydrogen hazards, structural precautions, gas monitoring system, existing regulations and safety requirements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]