HIGHLIGHTS – From my point of view

GREEN HYDROGEN

«I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, of an intensity of which coal is not capable» Jules Verne

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe: what are its characteristics

It makes up more than 90 percent of all atoms in the cosmos
It is characterized by atoms that do not exist in nature, thus it must be separated from other elements present in water, plants and fossil fuels in order to be produced
It is a source of energy, whose sustainability is determined by the way it is broken down

The role of hydrogen in the transition to a greener energy future

Hydrogen, together with renewables and natural gas, plays a critical part in the transition to a greener energy future:

it is a popular decarbonisation fuel; however not all hydrogen is manufactured in the same way
even though the gas only emits water when burned, its contribution to carbon neutrality is contingent on how it is produced

Green hydrogen is the purest type, emitting no carbon dioxide

Green hydrogen, as its name implies, is the purest type, emitting no carbon dioxide. Electrolysis fuelled by renewable energy, such as offshore wind, is used to create a clean and sustainable fuel.

How can hydrogen energy be utilised?

Hydrogen energy is extremely versatile, since it may be utilised as a gas or a liquid, turned into power or fuel, and produced in a variety of ways. Every year, around 70 million metric tons of hydrogen are generated for use in:

oil refining
ammonia and steel production, chemical and fertilizer manufacture
food processing
metallurgy
other applications

One of the reasons for the rising interest in green hydrogen

The constantly dropping cost of renewable energy.

What are the advantages of hydrogen?

It can be utilised where it is made or transferred to another location
Unlike batteries, which cannot store huge amounts of power for long periods of time, it can be created from excess renewable energy and stored in big quantities for long periods of time
Green hydrogen is able to be generated everywhere there is water and power to generate more electricity or heat
It may also be used in conjunction with fuel cells to power electric vehicles and other electrical equipment
Because hydrogen is so light - about 57 times lighter than gasoline fumes - it disperses quickly into the atmosphere

And, unlike batteries, hydrogen fuel cells do not need to be recharged and will not run out of hydrogen fuel as long as it is available.

What are the disadvantages of hydrogen?

Because of its flammability and lightness, hydrogen, like other fuels, must be handled carefully
It’s difficult to be carried, since it's so much lighter than gasoline and to liquefy it, it must either be chilled to -253°C or compressed to 700 times air pressure before being supplied as a compressed gas

How is hydrogen delivered?

It is now delivered by specialised pipelines, low-temperature liquid tanker trucks, tube trailers carrying gaseous hydrogen, rail, or barge.

Green hydrogen's potential will be determined by how much carmakers, fuel station developers, energy corporations, and governments are prepared to invest in it over the next few years

The numerous challenges that green hydrogen faces can be boiled down to just one: cost. It is therefore important that investment tax credit or a production tax credit, similar to those created for wind and solar power, which have aided in driving down their costs, are also developed for hydrogen investment.

Green hydrogen's promise and potential will ultimately be determined by how much carmakers, fuel station developers, energy corporations, and governments are prepared to invest in it over the next few years.

Strategic document published by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

The strategic document published by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy confirms that whether labelled as ‘green’ or ‘low carbon’, it’s only hydrogen produced from zero emissions sources and renewables that can make a meaningful long-term impact on decarbonisation.

MY POINT OF VIEW

It is important now that the government implements a new financing model to support it and be at the forefront of the UK’s hydrogen economy.