Hydrogen: fuel of the future?

Summary

Hailed as a potential solution to fossil fuel dependence, hydrogen is abundant yet faces challenges for widespread use. Obtained through energy-intensive processes like electrolysis, it offers a clean alternative with water as its only byproduct. Despite historical setbacks and safety concerns, technological advances and a push for decarbonization are driving a new hydrogen economy. With investments projected at $500bn and initiatives from countries like Germany and China, hydrogen's role in a net-zero future seems promising.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Hydrogen is positioned as a potential fuel of the future, crucial for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and aiding the transition to net-zero emissions.
• 💧 Despite its abundance in the universe, pure hydrogen is rare on Earth, primarily existing in water, and requires energy to extract.
• ⚡ Hydrogen can be produced through steam reforming of methane or electrolysis using electricity, with the latter being more sustainable.
• 🚗 Hydrogen can power vehicles with water as the only emission, contrasting with the pollutants from internal combustion engines.
• 🔋 Hydrogen fuel cells have been used by NASA since the 1960s and are now considered for various transportation modes and industrial applications.
• 🏭 Early hydrogen applications are likely in heavy industries like steel and cement production, which are significant greenhouse gas emitters.
• 💸 The high costs and lack of hydrogen infrastructure have been barriers to its widespread adoption, similar to the entrenched fossil fuel industry.
• 🔥 Public perception of hydrogen's safety has been negatively influenced by historical events like the Hindenburg disaster, despite advancements in safe storage and handling.
• 🔋 Hydrogen offers a higher energy density than batteries, allowing for quicker refueling and longer distances in vehicles.
• ♻️ The sustainability of hydrogen production is debated, as it currently relies on energy-intensive processes, often linked to fossil fuels.
• 🌐 There is a growing global interest in hydrogen, with significant investments and projects underway, indicating a potential hydrogen revolution.

Q & A

Why is hydrogen considered a fuel of the future?

Hydrogen is seen as a fuel of the future because it could help end the world's dependence on fossil fuels and aid the transition to net-zero emissions, offering a sustainable and clean alternative.

How abundant is hydrogen in the universe and on Earth?

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, essential for life and making up most of the sun. On Earth, pure hydrogen is scarce, primarily existing in water in the form of hydrogen combined with oxygen.

What is the process of obtaining hydrogen from water?

Hydrogen is obtained from water through a process of splitting molecules, which requires an input of energy, either from methane through steam reforming or from electricity through electrolysis.

How does hydrogen function as a fuel in vehicles?

In vehicles, hydrogen can be burned directly or combined with oxygen in a fuel cell, which acts like a battery, producing electricity and heat with water as the only waste.

What are the environmental benefits of using hydrogen fuel in vehicles?

The primary environmental benefit is that the only emission from hydrogen vehicles is water, making them cleaner than internal-combustion engines that emit harmful chemicals and carcinogens.

Why hasn't hydrogen been widely adopted as a fuel in the past?

Hydrogen hasn't been widely adopted because until the existence of renewable energy at scale, producing hydrogen required large amounts of fossil fuel or nuclear energy, making it expensive and less efficient than other energy storage methods.

What challenges does hydrogen face in terms of infrastructure and public perception?

Hydrogen faces challenges due to the existing fossil-fuel infrastructure and the need to build new refuelling stations and infrastructure. Additionally, public perception of hydrogen's safety, influenced by historical incidents like the Hindenburg disaster, is a hurdle.

How does hydrogen compare to batteries in terms of energy density and refuelling?

Hydrogen has a higher energy density than batteries, allowing for less space to be taken up in vehicles for the same distance travelled. Hydrogen can also be refuelled more quickly compared to recharging electric batteries.

What is the current state of hydrogen production in terms of sustainability?

Currently, much of the hydrogen used globally is produced from natural gas, which does produce greenhouse-gas emissions. The only way to make truly green hydrogen is by using renewable energy sources for production.

What are the potential applications of hydrogen in the future?

Hydrogen has potential applications in heavy industry, such as steel and cement-making, and in long-distance transport, where it could play a significant role in decarbonization efforts.

What are some of the recent developments and investments in the hydrogen sector?

Technological advances are making hydrogen production more efficient and cheaper. Governments are committing to decarbonization, driving a new hydrogen economy with investments like Germany's €7bn programme and China's aim for 1 million fuel-cell-powered vehicles by 2030.