Green Hydrogen: An Overview
Global warming is at its peak. Icebergs in the arctic and the antarctic are melting at a rampant rate. The sea levels are rising causing many islands and coastal areas to face the wrath of being submerged. The energy and transportation sector emissions are the reason behind the increasing percentage of Greenhouse Gases(GHGs) in the atmosphere. Countries all across the globe are striving towards decarbonising their industries, mobility systems and power sector by 2050. These countries have started to generate power from sustainable and renewable sources of energy rather than using conventional fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is considered to be a clean, sustainable and efficient source of energy. In this blog, I will be explaining the various aspects of Green Hydrogen and its impact on the environment.
What is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is the lightest element. Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe. It constitutes nearly 75% of all normal matter in the universe. Hydrogen is present in the plasma state in the sun. It generally exists as a diatomic gas molecule. In the year 1776, British physicist Cavendish discovered hydrogen by combining metals with strong acids. In 1783, French chemist Lavoisier gave this light gas the name of “hydrogen”, which is Greek for “that which generates water”.
Hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1.00754 amu. The atomic number of hydrogen is 1. The position of hydrogen in the periodic table has been controversial ever since its discovery because hydrogen can participate in both covalent and ionic bond formation. Therefore, the hydrogen is placed in both Group 1 and Group 17 of the periodic table.
The main physical properties of hydrogen gas are as follows:
- It is a colourless gas.
- It is an odourless gas.
- It is a non-toxic gas.
- It is a highly combustible gas.
Why Is Hydrogen Given Different Colours?
In the previous section of my blog, I mentioned that hydrogen is a colourless gas. The industry uses different types of hydrogen and they have been distinguished by various colours used as prefixes in their names. The hydrogen used in the industry is given different colours based on the source of energy and the method used to produce the hydrogen gas.
The 5 types of hydrogen gas based on the source of energy and the production methods are as follows:
- Blue Hydrogen: Blue hydrogen is produced when natural gas (predominantly methane) is split into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas by using methods like Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) or Auto Thermal Reforming (ATR). The carbon dioxide gas produced due to the production process is stored and captured. The other greenhouse gases are captured to make sure that the production process doesn’t harm the environment.
- Green Hydrogen: Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis. The hydrogen is used while the oxygen is let out into the free atmosphere. To conduct the electrolysis of water, we need electricity. The best way to produce green hydrogen is by using a clean and green source of energy(i.e solar energy, wind energy and other renewable sources of energy)to produce electricity for the electrolysis process.
- Grey Hydrogen: The production of grey hydrogen is done by splitting natural gas (predominantly methane) into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas by using methods like Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) or Auto Thermal Reforming (ATR). The carbon dioxide produced from the production process of grey hydrogen is neither stored released into the atmosphere.
- Pink Hydrogen: The electrolysis of water is used to produce hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity generated only from the nuclear power plant is used for conducting the electrolysis of water.
- Yellow Hydrogen: The electrolysis of water is used to produce hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity generated only from the solar power plant is used for conducting the electrolysis of water.
Benefits of Green Hydrogen
There has been a debate on the advantages and disadvantages of non-conventional sources of energy as compared to conventional sources of energy. The energy from the conventional sources of energy is portable and available throughout the day irrespective of the weather condition. The energy generation from non-conventional sources of energy depends upon natural conditions like sunlight, wind speed and other parameters. Despite the eco-friendly nature of non-conventional sources of energy, there has always been a concern over the low conversion and storage efficiency of the energy generated from non-conventional sources of energy.
In the previous paragraphs, I mentioned that green hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of water. The electrolysis of water is conducted using the electricity generated from renewable sources of energy. The hydrogen produced from the process is stored in specialised tanks and then used to generate energy whenever the demand arises. In this section of the blog, we will be understanding the benefits of green hydrogen in the following domains. They are as follows:
- The Uses of Green Hydrogen As A Fuel In The Transportation Sector
- The Uses of Green Hydrogen In Industries
- The Uses of Green Hydrogen For Domestic Household Purpose
The Uses of Green Hydrogen As A Fuel In The Transportation Sector
The world on an annual basis generates nearly 50 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. I wanted to explain the global greenhouse gas emissions from each sector by using a piechart on the breakdown of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2016 published by Climate Watch and the World Resources Institute. The transportation sector has been attributed to nearly 16.2% of the global greenhouse gas emissions from indirect emissions as well as the direct emissions from burning fossil fuels to power transport activities. Road transport alone generates 11.9 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Aviation and shipping transportation account for 1.9% and 1.7% of the global greenhouse gas emissions respectively. Rail and pipeline transportation account for 0.4% and 0.3% of the global greenhouse gas emissions respectively.
To reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation, automobile manufacturers started venturing into the manufacturing and the sales of Electric Vehicles(EVs). Some automobile manufacturers even started to manufacture Hydrogen Fuel cell electric vehicles(FCEVs) which run on the energy produced from the hydrogen stored in a tank that is connected to the fuel cell where the electricity is produced to power the motor and other electrical components of the electric vehicle. These Hydrogen FCEVs generate electricity on-the-go, by using a reaction between hydrogen and ambient oxygen. The EVs and the Hydrogen FCEVs do not produce any tailpipe emissions but they cannot be considered as sustainable means of transportation because the EV Charging Infrastructure and the Global Supply of Hydrogen for the hydrogen fuel stations depends on the energy from fossil fuels. The availability of low-cost solar and wind energy has nurtured the development of green hydrogen. Leading automotive manufacturers are looking forward to taking the technology of Green Hydrogen to a whole new level. At present, green hydrogen is expensive because of the high cost involved in the electrolysis process. The automobile manufacturers are constantly working towards developing a cost-effective technology for the electrolysis process to produce clean hydrogen. On 8th July 2021, Hyundai and its Kia brand signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Next Hydrogen Corporation. Next Hydrogen Corporation is a Canadian company specializing in water electrolysis technology and a subsidiary of Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.As a part of this agreement, Hyundai and Kia will combine their experience in the fuel cell area to create a new fuel cell stack for Next Hydrogen’s electrolysis system. This agreement would play a vital role in reducing the production cost of green hydrogen.
The representatives from Hyundai and its brand Kia said,
The alkaline water electrolysis system is regarded as technologically one of the most rigorously tested and proven means with a long track record of research and development. Also, it has the advantage of being able to produce large-scale hydrogen and using relatively inexpensive catalysts, making facility costs low
To know more about the MoU signed between Next Hydrogen and Hyundai and its brand Kia, you can read the official press release from Hyundai Motors.
The Uses of Green Hydrogen In Industries
When we have a keen look at the piechart on the breakdown of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2016 published by Climate Watch and the World Resources Institute, we can clearly say that direct industrial processes and the energy used in the industry account for 5.2 % and 24.2% of the global greenhouse gas emission. The production of iron & steel, petrochemicals, food & tobacco, non-ferrous metals, paper, machinery and other industries account for 7.2%,3.6%,1%,0.7%,0.6%,0.5% and 10.6% of the global greenhouse gas emissions respectively. The cement and petrochemical industries account for 3% and 2.2% of the global greenhouse gas emissions respectively. The above-mentioned industries predominantly depend on fossil fuels for operating all their equipment. On average, approximately 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted for every tonne of steel produced. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, the iron and steel industry accounts for approximately 6.7% of total world carbon dioxide emissions. The iron and steel industries as well as the cement industries use furnaces that depend on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. This is harmful to both the industry and the environment. Leading industry stakeholders have understood the need for decarbonizing the industry in a phased manner. They have proposed a three-phase decarbonization process. The three phases of decarbonizing the industries are as follows:
- Phase One (2020–2035): Latest technologies like electrification, energy and material efficiency, increased reuse and recycling are implemented first.
- Phase Two(2035–2050): Novel technologies like carbon capture and storage, carbon capture and utilization, and new cement chemistries would be implemented in this phase.
- Phase Three(2050–2070): The third phase involves the usage of zero-carbon hydrogen in heavy industrial applications.
Electric arc furnaces powered by zero-carbon electricity can play a vital role in recycling scrap steel into new steel. The advent of green hydrogen can decarbonize heavy-duty industries at a faster pace. Green hydrogen can replace fossil fuels to power the furnaces used in the iron & steel industries and cement industries. Green hydrogen is also used in the chemical industries for manufacturing ammonia and fertilisers and in the petrochemical industry to produce petroleum products.
The Uses of Green Hydrogen For Domestic Household Purpose
The energy required to run the household appliances is from non-renewable sources of energy like coal, petrol and natural gas.
These are quite harmful to the environment. Conventional fossil fuels can be replaced by green hydrogen for household electricity generation. This move would reduce the per capita carbon dioxide emission from the households.
The Global Green Hydrogen Market
The Global Green Hydrogen Market has been classified based on technology, application, end-use industry, and region. The technology market is classified into proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, alkaline electrolyzer, and solid oxide electrolyzer. The application market is classified into power generation, transport, and other applications while the end-use market is classified into food & beverages, medical, chemical, petrochemicals, glass, and other end-use applications. The region-wise market for green hydrogen is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.
The Alkaline(ALK) Electrolyzer is anticipated to have the largest market share by 2028 because of its higher operating time capacity and low capital cost.
The power-based application is anticipated to grow at a rampant rate because of the increasing energy demand from domestic household applications and industries. The chemical industry would be benefitted the most from the green hydrogen revolution by 2028.
Europe holds a dominant place in the green hydrogen market in 2020 and this dominance is anticipated to continue because of renewable energy generation and has a large supply of hydrogen.
The global green hydrogen market size was worth USD 300 Million in 2020 and is expected to account for USD 2720.68 Million by 2028. Some of the leading companies in the green hydrogen sector are as follows:
- SIEMENS (Germany)
- UNIPER SE (Germany)
- ENGIE (France)
- Cummins Inc. (US)
- Air LIQUIDE (France)
- Toshiba Corporation (Japan)
- NEL ASA (Norway)
- Air Products Inc. (US)
- LINDE (UK)
- Messer Group GMBH (Germany)
- MC PHY Energy (France)
- Plug Power Inc. (US)
- ITM Power (UK)
India’s Green Hydrogen Revolution
India has been taking major steps towards decarbonizing the power and transportation sector. The country has already achieved the goal of producing 450 GW of power from renewable sources of energy. At present, India is the fourth largest wind power installed country in the world with a total capacity of 7455.2 MW. In the year 2019, India surpassed Japan to become the fifth largest in the world for potential hydropower capacity, surpassing 50 GW. India is the fifth-largest in solar energy deployment globally. To know more about India’s initiatives and achievements in the domain of renewable energy, read my blog “UN Sustainable Development Goal(UN SDG) Seven & India’s Progress Towards Achieving The Targets Set For The UN SDG 7”
The Central Electricity Authority and the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance have joined hands together to form a renewable energy dashboard for India. Using this dashboard, one could get to know about the amount of energy generated from various renewable sources of energy on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly and annually.
Many Indian companies are striving towards achieving a carbon-neutral status. On 28th October 2020, Infosys turns carbon neutral 30 years ahead of the target set by the Paris Agreement.
The Government of India is planning to make the maximum use of the available energy from renewable sources of energy for the hydrolysis of water to produce hydrogen. At present, the cost of green hydrogen produced from electrolysis is priced at Rs 350 per kg. The Government of India is striving to reduce the cost of green hydrogen produced from electrolysis price from Rs 350 per kg to Rs 160 per kg by 2029–2030.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries (RIL) while addressing the International Climate Summit 2021 on 3rd September 2021 said,
Efforts are on globally to make green hydrogen the most affordable fuel option by bringing down its cost to initially under $2 per kg. Let me assure you all that Reliance will aggressively pursue this target and achieve it well before the turn of this decade.
The majority of India receives nearly 4 to 7 per kilowatt-hour of solar energy per square meter per day. It is touted that Green Hydrogen will play a vital role in helping the country meet its ever-growing energy demands. The large landmass and the low wind & solar energy tariff can be leveraged to produce low-cost green hydrogen and ammonia for exports.
Honourable Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the National Hydrogen Mission during the Budget 2021–22 on February 1st 2021. Under the National Hydrogen Mission, the Government of India has allotted Rs 25 crore in the Union Budget 2021–22 for the research and development in hydrogen energy. India’s biggest companies like Reliance, Tatas, Mahindras, Indian Oil and many others are anticipated to join hands together to form a coalition for the country’s first-ever National Hydrogen Mission. On 20th July 2021, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited announced it would set up the country’s first green hydrogen plant at its Mathura Refinery. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad and NIT, Raipur are working on the production of Bio Hydrogen from waste.
On 15th August 2021, the Honourable Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi formally announced the launch of a National Hydrogen Mission to accelerate plans to generate carbon-free fuel from renewables as he set a target of 2047 for India to achieve self-reliance in energy.
Challenges For The Commercialization of Green Hydrogen
Green hydrogen has the potential to replace conventional fossil fuels as a source of energy. There are some challenges that hinder the large scale usage of green hydrogen. The challenges are as follows:
- High Production Cost of Green Hydrogen
- The Risk Involved In The Distribution & Storage of Green Hydrogen
- The Risk Involved In The Transportation of Green Hydrogen
High Production Cost of Green Hydrogen: Producing green hydrogen is quite expensive because of the high costs involved in the electrolysis of water. The cost required for the production ranges from USD 3.6 per Kg to USD 6.0 per Kg in India. Green hydrogen costs €3.50 to €6 per kilogram in Europe.
The Risk Involved In The Distribution & Storage of Green Hydrogen: The density of hydrogen is way too less than that of gasoline. The hydrogen gas is inflammable and very reactive. Therefore it has to be liquefied and then distributed to the destination using special pipelines. The green hydrogen gas must be stored in special tanks in a liquid state. These special tanks and pipelines are made up of a material that does not react with green hydrogen. Therefore, green hydrogen is always blended with natural gas in the ratio of 20:80 by volume and then distributed using pipelines.
The Risk Involved In The Transportation of Green Hydrogen: Transportation of green hydrogen is yet another uphill task. It can’t be transported in the gaseous form because of its low density and inflammable nature. To liquefy hydrogen, it needs to be cooled to a temperature of -253˚C or compressed to 700 times atmospheric pressure. Either of the above-mentioned processes is quite tedious and expensive.
Conclusion
Before heading towards the concluding remarks, I would like to mention a statement made by the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in his Keynote address at the Sustainable Energy for All Ministerial Panel, Abu Dhabi International Renewable Energy Conference held on 15th January 2013 said,
Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment that allows the world to thrive.
I strongly agree with this statement. Its high time that energy must be eco-friendly and sustainable. As a concluding remark, I would like to say,
Green hydrogen will herald a new dawn towards a greener and sustainable future. According to a 2019 report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that global energy demand will increase by between 25 percent and 30 percent by 2040. Its high time that the countries must join hands together for enabling a faster adoption of green hydrogen as a source replacing the existing fossil fuels. The developed and leading countries in the adoption of green hydrogen must aim to share their domain-based technical expertise and technologies with developing countries. This would play a vital role in reducing the global cost of green hydrogen per kilogram.
