Hydrogen: Limiting the risks for a high reward

As the race for net zero intensifies all over the world so does the race for solutions. There are currently many challenges faced to achieving net zero goals but there are three sectors that represent some of the toughest hurdles in the race toward net zero: power generation, oil & gas, and transportation. Hydrogen is seen by many as a potential option to overcome those hurdles. This is because it can play a role in reducing the use of hydrocarbons and is a viable fuel source. Even though hydrogen can represent a solution to issues it does not come without its own set of challenges.??

The first challenge is the issue of hydrogen production. The demand for pure hydrogen has grown more than 100% since 1975 and will continue to grow. There are currently two main methods used to produce gas. The first and most common method of hydrogen production today is to use natural gas and coal for steam reforming. This accounts for 95% of hydrogen production. This method creates the cheapest form of hydrogen. However, it releases harmful greenhouse gases and is therefore not sustainable for the future, despite technological advances such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Therefore, the focus is now on the second method.??

The second method produces hydrogen through electrolysis using renewable energy and is regarded as green hydrogen. It is viewed as an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications. Electrolysis takes place within an electrolyzer that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. There are several different types of electrolyzers, but all consist of three primary components: an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte to separate the anode and cathode.? The byproducts of this method are not harmful. This is why the transition from traditional methods of hydrogen production to renewable sources is being strongly supported by policies in various countries. The current issue with this method, however, is?cost. Currently, green hydrogen is up to eight times more expensive compared to electricity sourced from coal.?

Hydrogen's high energy content per mass is one of its advantages and a significant safety hazard. Hydrogen has a wide flammability range (44.0-75 vol%) and low ignition energy (0.018 mJ) compared to other fuel sources such as methane (5.3-15 vol% flammability, 0.280 mJ ignition energy) and gasoline (1.0-7.6 vol% flammability, 0.25 mJ ignition energy). A small leak from piping or a storage vessel could easily be ignited, leading to a fire or explosion.?

Further factors to consider include the low viscosity and low density of hydrogen helping it diffuse through certain materials faster than other gases, sometimes up to three times faster. Therefore, proper handling is essential all the way through the value chain, including production, storage, transportation (via pipelines, trucks, or rail), and final usage.?

Process safety engineers help reduce the likelihood of these incidents and other risks to consider such as decarburization and embrittlement of metals. Every injury, fatality, or incident of infrastructure damage can negatively impact public acceptance of hydrogen and ultimately slow the energy transition. Therefore, process safety is a critical part of the path to net zero emissions and the development of new energy sources,?as highlighted in Elsevier’s latest blog post?

The transition to net zero will be a?challenging one, but it is necessary, and hydrogen will be a part of it. Although there are risks and high costs of production right now, both of these factors can be alleviated with increased funding and knowledge??

If you wish to learn more about Hydrogen, have a look at the webinars “Why Geology and Reservoir Engineering Matter for Hydrogen Storage” (Pt. 1 and Pt. 2)?as well as “Hydrogen fuel cells in commercial transport logistics”.?