Hydrogen Fuel
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. These qualities make it an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications. It can be used in cars, in houses, for portable power, and in many more applications. Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used to store, move, and deliver energy produced from other sources. Today, hydrogen fuel can be produced through several methods. The most common methods today are natural gas reforming (a thermal process), and electrolysis. Other methods include solar-driven and biological processes. Why is hydrogen important as a future clean energy source? A fuel is a chemical that can be 'burnt' to provide useful energy. Burning normally means that chemical bonds between the elements in the fuel are broken and the elements chemically combine with oxygen (often from the air). For many years, we've used natural gas to heat our homes and businesses, and for power stations to generate electricity. In the UK, 85% of homes and 40% of the country's electricity currently relies on gas; in the US, 47% of households rely on natural gas and 36% on electricity1. Methane is the main constituent of 'natural gas' from oil and gas fields. We've continued to use natural gas because it's a readily available resource, it's cost effective and it's a cleaner alternative to coal – the dirtiest fossil fuel that we historically relied on for heating and to generate electricity. When natural gas is burnt, it provides heat energy. But a waste product alongside water is carbon dioxide, which when released into the atmosphere contributes to climate change. Burning hydrogen does not release carbon dioxide. Types of hydrogen fuel Grey hydrogen Grey hydrogen is hydrogen produced using fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. Grey hydrogen accounts for roughly 95% of the hydrogen produced in the world today. The two main production methods are steam methane reforming and coal gasification. Both of these processes release carbon dioxide (CO2). If the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, then the hydrogen produced is referred to as grey hydrogen. Grey hydrogen is not considered a low-carbon fuel. Blue hydrogen Blue hydrogen is similar to grey hydrogen, except that most of the CO2 emissions are sequestered (stored in the ground) using carbon capture and storage (CCS). Capturing and storing the carbon dioxide instead of releasing it into the atmosphere allows blue hydrogen to be a low-carbon fuel. The two main production methods are steam methane reforming and coal gasification, both with carbon capture and storage. Blue hydrogen is a cleaner alternative to grey hydrogen, but is expensive since carbon capture technology is used. Green hydrogen Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced using electricity from clean energy sources. Green hydrogen is considered low or zero-emission hydrogen because it uses energy sources such as wind and solar which don't release greenhouse gases when generating electricity. Green hydrogen is made when water (H2O) is split into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Water splitting is also known as electrolysis, and requires an energy input. The method of supplying electricity to split water is an expensive process, but much more environmentally-friendly compared to the production of grey hydrogen. What are the benefits of hydrogen? Hydrogen represents about 2% of the EU's energy mix. Nearly all hydrogen - 95% - is produced by fossil fuels, which release 70-100 million tonnes of CO2 every year. According to research, renewable energies could supply a substantial part of the European energy mix in 2050, of which hydrogen could account for up to 20%, notably 20-50% of energy demand in transport and 5-20% in industry. A renewable hydrogen economy could significantly reduce the impact of global warming compared to a fossil fuel economy. It is mostly used as feedstock in industrial processes, but also as a fuel for space rockets. Given its properties, hydrogen can be a good fuel because: Its use for energy purposes does not cause greenhouse gas emissions (water is the only by-product of the process) It can be used to produce other gases, as well as liquid fuels Existing infrastructure (gas transport and gas storage) can be repurposed for hydrogen It has a higher energy density than batteries so can be used for long-distance and heavy-goods transport
REFERENCE: https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-fuel-basics
WEBMASTER: Pawarit Chaipiriyapitak

Hydrogen Fuel

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. These qualities make it an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications. It can be used in cars, in houses, for portable power, and in many more applications.

Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used to store, move, and deliver energy produced from other sources.

Today, hydrogen fuel can be produced through several methods. The most common methods today are natural gas reforming (a thermal process), and electrolysis. Other methods include solar-driven and biological processes.

Why is hydrogen important as a future clean energy source?

A fuel is a chemical that can be 'burnt' to provide useful energy. Burning normally means that chemical bonds between the elements in the fuel are broken and the elements chemically combine with oxygen (often from the air).

For many years, we've used natural gas to heat our homes and businesses, and for power stations to generate electricity. In the UK, 85% of homes and 40% of the country's electricity currently relies on gas; in the US, 47% of households rely on natural gas and 36% on electricity1.

Methane is the main constituent of 'natural gas' from oil and gas fields. We've continued to use natural gas because it's a readily available resource, it's cost effective and it's a cleaner alternative to coal – the dirtiest fossil fuel that we historically relied on for heating and to generate electricity.

When natural gas is burnt, it provides heat energy. But a waste product alongside water is carbon dioxide, which when released into the atmosphere contributes to climate change. Burning hydrogen does not release carbon dioxide.

Types of hydrogen fuel

Grey hydrogen

Grey hydrogen is hydrogen produced using fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. Grey hydrogen accounts for roughly 95% of the hydrogen produced in the world today. The two main production methods are steam methane reforming and coal gasification. Both of these processes release carbon dioxide (CO2). If the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, then the hydrogen produced is referred to as grey hydrogen. Grey hydrogen is not considered a low-carbon fuel.

Blue hydrogen

Blue hydrogen is similar to grey hydrogen, except that most of the CO2 emissions are sequestered (stored in the ground) using carbon capture and storage (CCS). Capturing and storing the carbon dioxide instead of releasing it into the atmosphere allows blue hydrogen to be a low-carbon fuel. The two main production methods are steam methane reforming and coal gasification, both with carbon capture and storage. Blue hydrogen is a cleaner alternative to grey hydrogen, but is expensive since carbon capture technology is used.

Green hydrogen

Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced using electricity from clean energy sources. Green hydrogen is considered low or zero-emission hydrogen because it uses energy sources such as wind and solar which don't release greenhouse gases when generating electricity. Green hydrogen is made when water (H2O) is split into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Water splitting is also known as electrolysis, and requires an energy input. The method of supplying electricity to split water is an expensive process, but much more environmentally-friendly compared to the production of grey hydrogen.

What are the benefits of hydrogen?

Hydrogen represents about 2% of the EU's energy mix. Nearly all hydrogen - 95% - is produced by fossil fuels, which release 70-100 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

According to research, renewable energies could supply a substantial part of the European energy mix in 2050, of which hydrogen could account for up to 20%, notably 20-50% of energy demand in transport and 5-20% in industry.

A renewable hydrogen economy could significantly reduce the impact of global warming compared to a fossil fuel economy.

It is mostly used as feedstock in industrial processes, but also as a fuel for space rockets.

Given its properties, hydrogen can be a good fuel because:

Its use for energy purposes does not cause greenhouse gas emissions (water is the only by-product of the process)
It can be used to produce other gases, as well as liquid fuels
Existing infrastructure (gas transport and gas storage) can be repurposed for hydrogen
It has a higher energy density than batteries so can be used for long-distance and heavy-goods transport

REFERENCE: https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-fuel-basics

WEBMASTER: Pawarit Chaipiriyapitak