The world has reached a turning point in our understanding of energy. Solar and wind are the two fastest growing energy sources. While governments and industry increasingly understand that fossil fuels are a thing of the past, the challenge remains to make solar and wind usable when we need them. Variable renewable are competitive, and customers are increasingly demanding reliable, secure and independent energy supply from sustainable sources. On site green hydrogen production allows for complete green energy independence and security. A burgeoning global industry is taking shape around hydrogen’s potential as a storable fuel or energy carrier and many advantages over battery-electric technology result in hydrogen gaining traction with industry, environmentalists and leading governments.
‘Green’ hydrogen is sourced by 100% renewable energy. That means that the needed energy to produce hydrogen by electrolysis has emitted zero emissions. Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels releasing emissions such as CO2, may be referred to as ‘grey’ or ‘brown’ hydrogen. If the emitted carbon dioxide is captured, stored (carbon capture storage) and re-used, it is often called ‘blue’ hydrogen.
In the future, hydrogen will be produced to a greater extent using electricity from renewable energy sources. Furthermore, biogas and various fuels like solid biomass will help to produce green hydrogen in the future.
No. Hydrogen will become a substantial and permanent element of a sustainable energy industry.
Hydrogen enables the long-term storage of large quantities of surplus renewable energy. It is allows new ways to use green electricity, i.e. by using hydrogen as substitute for natural gas by feeding it into existing pipelines, as fuel for fuel-cell vehicles or power plants, or as feedstock for the hydrogen processing industry. It opens the possibility to connect energy generation with the industry and mobility sectors, the so called “sector coupling”.
Passenger car or light duty vehicle fueling takes 3 to 5 minutes.
Less than 1kg of hydrogen is needed per 100km.
Today, hydrogen is an important industrial gas, i.e. for the refining of fuels, for the production of fertilizer and methanol, for the hydrogenation of fats, for steel production, metal processing, as well as in the production of flat glass.
The hydrogen market is divided in three sectors. Mobility, energy and industry with industry being by far the largest consumer today (~90%). In the future a redistribution towards the mobility and energy sector is expected .
On average 50kWh are necessary to produce 1kg of hydrogen, depending on the efficiency of the electrolyzer and operation mode.
10 liter demineralized water is needed for 1kg of hydrogen.
High gas purity >99,999%
High dynamics
High efficiency (>70%)
High power density
High life cycle
Clean (no chemicals, only water and electricity)
PEM is the abbreviation for proton exchange membrane. This membrane is a crucial part of the electrolytic cell in a PEM-electrolyzer. The membrane separates the anode, where the oxygen is collected, and the cathode, where the hydrogen gas is generated.
What kind of electrolysis systems exist?
Electrolysis processes can be categorized as follows: alkaline electrolysis with liquid alkaline electrolytes, acidic electrolysis with a solid polymer electrolyte (as PEM) and high temperature electrolysis with a solid oxide as electrolyte.
PEM electrolysis and alkaline electrolysis systems are available at an industrial scale. The solid oxide electrolysis technology is in an early development phase.
Water gets split into its components hydrogen and oxygen by means of electrical current.
In contrast to gasoline and natural gas, hydrogen gas has significant buoyancy in atmospheric conditions due to its low density, any leaking hydrogen gas ascends immediately and disperses, which reduces the risk of an ignition in open air.
No. Hydrogen can be safely handled and stored as well as transported. The industrial gas industry has done so for over a century.
The facilities are designed to be permanently leak proof. Flange connections are designed especially for hydrogen and the number of detachable connections are minimized. Furthermore, in buildings a steady air exchange is ensured and the facilities are equipped with safety valves and pressure reliefs. Additionally explosion prevention zones are designated. In these zones, electrical and other equipment needs to be in accordance with 2014/34/EU (ATEX Directive).
It is not inherently more dangerous than other fuel sources. Hydrogen is flammable and must be handled with care, just like other flammable fuels. To ignite, the hydrogen must be combined with an additional oxidizing agent (air, pure oxygen, chlorine, etc.) in a specific concentration and an ignition source (a spark). If, in a worst-case scenario, the hydrogen ignites, it burns upwards very quickly. It creates no dangerous heat radiation above the accident site, as petrol or kerosene do.
Hydrogen is a non-toxic clear gas. It is not poisonous, has no taste or odor. Using hydrogen as a fuel source with fuel cells does not create fumes, pollute the atmosphere with carbon dioxide or emit nitrogen oxides.
When properly stored, there are no losses. Unlike diesel for example, hydrogen does not have an expiry date and can be stored for years.
Hydrogen can be transported as a compressed gas or a cryogenic liquid. Today, the two main methods for transporting hydrogen (primarily in a gaseous state) are via tanker e.g. tube trailer for road transportation and in gas pipelines (for short distance).
For hydrogen-powered vehicles, an industry standard of 300 to 700 bar has been established. Vehicles for the transport of compressed hydrogen, so called “tankers”, usually working with a maximum pressure of 200 bar.
The volumetric energy density of hydrogen at atmospheric pressure is approximately one third of traditional fuels. The volumetric energy density can be increased by compression or liquefaction of the hydrogen gas to store and transport a greater amount of hydrogen.
Hydrogen can be stored in tanks as a compressed gas or as a liquid. Hydrogen can also be stored in caverns or in the natural gas grid for different applications and if the grid fulfils all technological requirements.
Hydrogen can be produced from hydrocarbons by steam reforming of natural gas - often referred to as steam methane reforming (SMR), coal gasification and from an electrolysis process of water (H2O).
Hydrogen (H2) can be produced in different ways. For the moment more than 95% of the hydrogen worldwide is produced from hydrocarbons while producing and emitting harmful CO2. A more modern and ecofriendly technology for CO2 neutral production of hydrogen can be offered by electrolysis of water.
By combusting hydrogen, it delivers heat. Used in fuel cells, hydrogen is converted electrochemically to electrical energy.
Hydrogen has the highest energy density of all conventional fuels by mass: almost three times as high as that of gasoline or diesel. That is one of the reasons why hydrogen is used as fuel for space travel.
H2 Higher Heating Value: 39.4 kWh/kg; H2 Lower Heating Value: 33.3 kWh/kg
Hydrogen converts into a liquid at minus 253 ºC.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. 90 percent of all atoms are hydrogen atoms. They add up to three quarters of the total mass in the universe.
Hydrogen (chemical symbol H) is a gas. As a molecule (H2), it occurs only in small amounts in nature and it is mainly chemically bound, such as H2O.
