Hydrogen and other Clean Molecules to Revolutionize Heavy Industries

How hard can it be to decarbonize industries? This would mean industries would stop using fossil fuels or reduce their usage to the bare minimum. But how realistic can this be?

So, what are the implications? Are we now going to be using solar power or wind power for these industries? Imagine a typical cement plant and the number of solar panels it would take to meet its energy needs. Just think about how much land that requires and the logistics involved and financial implications in setting it all up! Its so impossible for now.

So lately,

There has been a focus on how clean molecules like hydrogen, biogas and others can be adopted in these industries to accelerate the global transition to cleaner energy. These clean molecules offer promising alternatives to fossil fuels, enabling industries to meet their energy needs while minimizing carbon emissions.

Let’s talk about these clean molecules and their current or future potentials. Hydrogen, for instance, can be produced through electrolysis using renewable energy, offering a zero-emission fuel option. Biogas, on the other hand, is generated from organic waste, presenting an opportunity to address waste management while producing energy.

Hydrogen can replace natural gas in high-temperature processes, such as those in steel production or cement kilns. For example, hydrogen can be used in direct reduction iron (DRI) processes to produce steel without emitting carbon dioxide.

Also, Biogas can replace natural gas in industrial boilers, furnaces, and other equipment that require gas for heating. This transition helps lower greenhouse gas emissions.

These technologies come with their own challenges.

We must consider the challenges these clean molecules present. How are these clean molecules generated? For example, with biogas, what problems could arise if agricultural lands are cultivated as feedstock for energy production? This shift could strain food supplies and raise concerns about food security for communities reliant on agricultural outputs. With hydrogen, we still need electricity, where will this electricity be obtained?

So, it has been a work in progress, and these molecules are crucial to helping us transition into net zero.

Meanwhile scaling up the production and integration of these clean molecules into existing industrial processes requires a lot of investment and infrastructure development. Increasing the efficiency of these processes would require more research, not only these, the right regulations and policies, as well as incentives and adequate investment from both public and private sector.

What do I think ?

My thought around this is that If the production of solar panels has evolved over the years to achieve cost reductions and improved efficiency and integration, then it’s reasonable to expect that similar advancements will occur with clean molecules like hydrogen and biogas.

As technology continues to develop, these clean energy solutions will likely become more accessible and effective for their broader adoption in hard-to-abate industries.

Let me know what you think in the comment section