Everything about Hydrogen: The Future of Energy!

Welcome again, as promised I am back with more insights on hydrogen. Do you remember sitting in a chemistry class contemplating life? Well, if we had paid enough attention we would know a lot more about how this world works. But this got me thinking, a lot of us who work with hydrogen how much do we really know about it? And with that same thought, I am writing this article to take you on a trip back to your school. Let's begin students!?

Index:

• What is Hydrogen?
• Hydrogen production
• Hydrogen Fuel cells
• NASA and Hydrogen
• Green Hydrogen
• Problems in mass adoption
• Steps for Hydrogen-rich countries
• Conclusion

1. What is Hydrogen?

Did you know that hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe? It's true! This amazing element is a key component of water and is found everywhere around us, from living things to the stars above.

In fact, scientists estimate that hydrogen makes up more than 90 percent of all atoms in the universe! It was first produced artificially by the British scientist Henry Cavendish in the early 16th century, who recognized that hydrogen gas was a discrete substance that could produce water when burned.

What's really fascinating about hydrogen is its high energy density value per mass. That means for every 1 kilogram of hydrogen, it has an energy value of 120-142 MJ - that's a lot of energy packed into a small amount of mass!

And if that's not enough, consider this: hydrogen burns cleanly! When burned with oxygen, the only by-products are heat and water. That's right, no harmful pollutants or toxic chemicals. It's no wonder that hydrogen is being hailed as a key player in the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

2. Hydrogen production:

It's an exciting field, and there are several ways to produce hydrogen today.?

The most common methods for producing hydrogen are natural gas reforming and electrolysis. But, did you know that solar-driven and biological processes are other methods? These processes are gaining popularity and could potentially change the future of hydrogen fuel production.

Thermal processes?involve steam reforming, which uses hydrocarbon fuel and steam to produce hydrogen. This method is currently responsible for about 95% of all hydrogen production. Electrolytic processes, on the other hand, use an electrolyzer to separate water into oxygen and hydrogen.

Solar-driven processes?are particularly fascinating as they use light as the catalyst for hydrogen production. Photobiological processes use natural photosynthesis from bacteria and green algae to produce hydrogen. Photoelectrochemical processes (that's a mouthful) use specialized semiconductors, while solar thermochemical hydrogen production relies on concentrated solar power to drive water-splitting reactions.

Lastly,?biological processes?use microbes like bacteria and microalgae to produce hydrogen through biological reactions. In microbial biomass conversion, the microbes break down organic matter like biomass or wastewater to produce hydrogen. The microbes in photobiological processes use sunlight as the energy source.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to produce hydrogen fuel, and the future looks bright. Exciting developments in this field could lead to even more efficient and sustainable production methods.

3. History of Hydrogen Fuel Cell:

Have you ever wondered how a fuel cell works? Well, a fuel cell is a device that uses hydrogen (or other fuels) to produce electricity, making it a unique source of clean energy with countless potential applications.

The fuel cell effect, which combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce water and electricity, was discovered by a Swiss chemist back in 1838. However, it wasn't until more than 100 years later that fuel cells were widely used, as part of NASA's Project Gemini in the 1960s.

So, why did it take so long to apply this incredible discovery? One of the main reasons was the cost of mass-producing hydrogen, which is produced from water by electrolysis, a costly process. Besides, hydrogen is highly dangerous and can cause explosions, making it an inaccessible energy source. Even today, these are the primary reasons why fuel cells and hydrogen aren't commonly used in everyday life.

The Hindenburg disaster is one of the most tragic and well-known airship disasters in history. It was the largest of its kind, carrying over 1,000 passengers on round trips between Germany and the United States. Unfortunately, on May 6, 1937, while landing at Lakehurst, New Jersey, the Hindenburg exploded, killing 35 of the 97 people on board. What's more, the crew knew something was wrong minutes before the disaster, but they couldn't do anything to prevent it.

The Hindenburg disaster wasn't the first of its kind, but it was the only one caught on camera and publicized. The footage shows the airship bursting into flames and people on the ground running away in fear. This marked the end of the airship industry, as no airships were flown commercially after that.

It's incredible to think that the Hindenburg, a hydrogen-filled airship, had a smoking room onboard. This disastrous event shows us the danger of using hydrogen as a source of energy and how crucial it is to handle it with utmost care.

4. Widespread use by NASA:

It turns out that hydrogen's unique properties and high efficiency make it the perfect candidate for fueling rockets. But the process of using hydrogen for rocket fuel is not without its challenges. To keep it from evaporating or boiling off, liquid hydrogen must be kept isolated from any heat-prone areas of the rocket, even the sun's radiant rays.?

Despite these difficulties, NASA was able to overcome these challenges and make history. The Centaur rocket was the first major rocket to use liquid hydrogen technology in the 1950s, paving the way for the Apollo landings on the moon. But rocket fuel is not the only application of liquid hydrogen.?

In fact, hydrogen could have many other applications in space stations. Imagine a future where we combine hydrogen (formed by the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen) and exhaled carbon dioxide to form water. This process of obtaining and reusing hydrogen would not only be economical but also very efficient.?

But that's not all. Despite the difficulties of using fuel cells, NASA has succeeded in using hydrogen fuel cells for the first time in Project Gemini. And they're not stopping there. NASA is pursuing other types of fuel cells that can use hydrogen peroxide, metal air, and methane as fuel.?

The development of proton exchange membrane fuel cells that use hydrogen and air for on-ground transportation applications is also well underway. NASA is leading these efforts to provide reliable, renewable power sources for aerospace applications.?

And it's not just NASA that's interested in hydrogen. In 1998, Iceland revealed its plan to become a hydrogen economy by 2030. Today, Iceland is miles ahead in terms of hydrogen use, with geothermal resources accounting for as much as 66 percent of its total primary energy use and used to heat 90 percent of Icelandic households. They've even been using buses that run on hydrogen since the early 2000s!?

5. Present and Future of Hydrogen:

Why is everyone so excited about hydrogen? Well, for starters, it can help power sectors that are difficult to electrify, like heavy transportation and industrial manufacturing. And with the first fleet of hydrogen-fueled trains already in operation in Germany, progress is definitely being made!

In fact, the interest in clean hydrogen is so strong that there are over 100 pilot and demonstration projects underway across the globe right now, with everyone from shipping companies to steel manufacturers eager to embrace the decarbonizing potential of this amazing fuel.

Of course, not all hydrogen is created equal. There are three main colors of hydrogen - grey, blue, and green - each with its own unique production method and environmental impact. And while green hydrogen is the cleanest option, it currently only accounts for a tiny fraction of overall hydrogen production.

6. Green Hydrogen:

A specific type of hydrogen worth mentioning is Green Hydrogen. It's a revolutionary new way to create hydrogen that doesn't produce any greenhouse gas emissions! So, how is it made? Well, it's all thanks to a process called electrolysis, where electricity from renewable sources is used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.?

Traditionally, hydrogen was derived from fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, producing greenhouse gases that need to be captured or offset. This type of hydrogen is called grey hydrogen. But with green hydrogen, costs are expected to fall by 50% by 2030, making it a more cost-effective and eco-friendly option in the long run.?

But it's not just great for the environment - green hydrogen could be a game-changer for high-emissions industries like steel and long-haul transport. The steel industry, which accounts for a whopping 8% of global annual emissions, could decarbonize by converting plants to run on green hydrogen. For long-haul transport, hydrogen combustion engines could provide a relatively easy switch from internal combustion engines, helping to meet regulatory challenges while drawing on existing supply chains and production capacities in the automotive industry.?

7. What are some challenges preventing the wide-scale adoption of hydrogen energy?

The hydrogen value chain is both complex and capital-intensive. What’s more, many of the industry’s segments are not yet developing at the same rate—and those technologies and regulations that are developing fast are moving so quickly that staying up to date can be a?challenge .

Hydrogen energy does produce emissions, but the amount varies widely and is?easier to control?than other energy production methods. For example, green hydrogen can be produced from 100 percent solar and wind power in renewables-rich regions and delivered to any refueling station.

That said, the primary roadblock preventing hydrogen from meaningfully contributing to decarbonization is investment cost. Committing to a pathway to net zero will require additional direct investments in hydrogen of?$460 billion by 2030. This investment gap breaks down into three categories:

• Production.?Clean hydrogen production needs roughly $150 billion more in investments through 2030.

• Transmission, distribution, and storage.?Investments here are critical to enabling access to cost-competitive hydrogen supplies. These might include developing refueling infrastructure for vehicles or building pipelines to supply industrial plants. The investment gap here is currently more than $165 billion.

• End-use applications.?Meeting projected demand in hydrogen’s various end-use applications, including steel production and transportation, will require additional investments of $145 billion.

For hydrogen to contribute to the energy transition, a scale-up over the next decade is critical.

8. Hydrocarbon-rich countries need to focus on four key areas, and here's a brief breakdown for you:

Firstly, we need to scale up both the blue and green hydrogen supply. Blue hydrogen will play a crucial role in the short to medium term, while green hydrogen will take over in the long term, as it becomes more economically viable.

Secondly, to create a thriving hydrogen ecosystem, we need to stimulate local demand. This can be done by implementing regulations that encourage decarbonization and clean air and will help create a local market for hydrogen in addition to major exports.

Thirdly, we must develop transportation technology to make hydrogen more accessible. Currently, hydrogen is difficult to transport and must be either liquefied or transformed into ammonia, both of which are expensive and technically challenging.

Lastly, to ensure consistent development of the clean-hydrogen value chain, players across all stages must work together. This includes long-term offtake agreements between customers and producers, as well as intergovernmental partnerships.

So, what role can actors in the hydrogen space play in speeding up global adoption? Governments can lead the initial development of the hydrogen economy by developing hydrogen road maps, setting ambitions for national hydrogen production, and implementing regulations for decarbonizing different sectors.?

Stakeholders in hydrogen value chains, such as utility and chemical companies, can develop hydrogen strategies to expand the supply market and create long-term demand partnerships. It's a team effort, but we can make the hydrogen energy market thrive!

And that's a wrap! I tried my best to give you a basic overview of what Hydrogen is all about. But the industry has existed for years and I can never talk enough about it. I hope this article added some value to your life and helped to build your knowledge of the element, production, present, and future. If you have any suggestions, recommendations, or questions my comments section is always open for you.?