Prospects of Green Hydrogen

In the global race against the clock, the energy sectors of the world have been seeking alternatives to the most common source of power, fossil fuels. While energy transitions and the reality and feasibility of such a transition are constantly discussed and debated amongst experts and governments, and deserve a blog post of their own, there is no argument that these transitions are essential if the world is to stand a fighting chance against climate change and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement to promote sustainable living. The most promising drivers of these transitions are solar energy, wind energy, and hydropower energy. However, a rather obscure and uncommon source of power in modern times is re-emerging in the energy markets and is becoming a key player in facilitating these energy transitions in the global sector. Green hydrogen, a low-carbon form of energy, is generated from the electrolysis of water, where the water molecule separates to give hydrogen and oxygen gases.

Before discussing the advantages, it is important to understand the limitations of green hydrogen. Electrolysis is the process of supplying molecules with energy to split them into smaller components. Therefore, to produce this energy source – energy must be consumed. Additionally, electrolysis is an energy intensive process, and is very expensive as well. Since the goal of green hydrogen is a non-carbon energy source, it would be counterproductive to power its production with fossil fuels. Thus, renewables would be needed to catalyse this process, an energy source that itself is very costly at the scale necessary to produce sufficient amounts of green hydrogen. However, with global goals of reducing carbon footprints, renewable energy sources are becoming more accessible and affordable, meaning that green hydrogen could overcome its main hurdle of cost of production, and the energy sector could utilise its many advantages.

The biggest advantage of green hydrogen is the fact that it is a pure non-carbon source of energy, as when burned, the only by-product of this process is water. Another significant advantage that could lead to the preference of the use of green hydrogen is that its storable. Many sources of renewable energy such as solar and wind energy have very low storing potential, with batteries allowing up to 4 hours’ worth of energy to be stored as the technology and material available are incapable of storing energy for longer. Moreover, green hydrogen is versatile in the sense that if it is not to be used as an energy source, the gas itself could be used in an array of domestic, commercial, industrial, and mobility uses. For instance, hydrogen could be used in steel production, and has historically been used to power hot air balloons and fuel cars. Finally, green hydrogen is transportable as well, with initial energy transitions allowing for infrastructure that was previously created for the distribution of natural gas to be used for green hydrogen, given that it was combined with natural gas as well.

Thus, to utilise these multiple advantages of green hydrogen, and to further innovate in technology to plummet its production costs, multiples projects are being developed with the sustainable energy source at centre-stage. Here are a few:

1.?????Siemens is developing a project that integrates green hydrogen production to individual wind turbines – since wind activity is highest when energy demand is low, the energy it produces will be consumed to produce more green hydrogen

2.?????The conversion of green hydrogen to produce green ammonia – a carbon free method to fertiliser precursor production – in a planned facility in Duqm, Oman

3.?????The development of buildings that run exclusively on renewable energy sources, including solar energy that electrolyses water to produce green hydrogen for on-site use – currently being studied by experts in the US and South Korea

4.?????The development of a 2 GW offshore wind and green hydrogen plant in Azerbaijan, supported by Abu Dhabi’s Masdar

While green hydrogen is the most environmentally friendly form of hydrogen, there are many other forms of hydrogen that exist as well – including pink hydrogen, where the source of electrolysis is sourced from nuclear energy, blue hydrogen that is produced from natural gas that sequesters any associated carbon dioxide emissions, and the most common form of grey hydrogen, where the electrolysis is powered by natural gas without carbon sequestration, making it the least environmentally friendly. While these options may not necessarily be as viable as green hydrogen, it is important to note that many countries who have accounted for the use of hydrogen in their energy sectors to transition away from fossil fuels may use these forms until they are able to support the production of green hydrogen. For instance, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), who is a major player in the blue hydrogen market is producing up to 300,000 tonnes of it annually while it seeks opportunities to start producing green hydrogen – an in initiative propelled by its partnership with TAQA in 2021.

Regardless of the colour of hydrogen to be used, it is important that the legislative frameworks in the area of adoption are able to support the production and consumption of hydrogen. This includes:

1.??????The creation of roadmaps and strategies to introduce green hydrogen that indicate clear targets with tangible impact through quantifiable measures and viable integration schemes

2.??????Establishing priorities for green hydrogen use through identifying the most effective and efficient uses for it

3.??????Empowering and aligning public and private objectives to co-ordinate efforts and catalyse technological innovation

4.??????Promote research and development efforts to further minimise green hydrogen production costs to incentivise its use

5.??????Financing and supporting projects pertaining to green hydrogen production or retrofitting for consumption

The goal in the end remains the same, to foster and nurture a low-carbon energy sector with diverse sources of energy that could support the needs and demands of consumers without compromising the natural environment.