People have high hopes that the most abundant element in the universe can solve the world’s energy problems.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is odorless and invisible, and it is the most abundant element in the universe, and it is possible to provide clean, nearly unlimited energy.
It has been used in oil refining and fertilizer manufacturing. However, despite the efforts and a lot of hype, it never became a fuel.
As the need to address climate change becomes more urgent, this situation may be about to change.
Analysts agree that the electrification of automobiles and heating and the use of renewable energy to generate electricity can decarbonize most of the world’s economies in the short term.
Hydrogen Fuel
However, other measures need to be taken to clean up other carbon-intensive industries, such as aviation, shipping, long-distance trucking, and heavy industry, such as concrete and steel manufacturers.
Huge advantage
If using hydrogen, no carbon is released when hydrogen is burned. And it is touted by some as an ideal substitute for fossil fuels in these problematic sectors.
Hydrogen can also be used as energy storage media if it is combined with wind power, solar power, and batteries
Although hydrogen is abundant as an element, its atom itself does not exist. They need to be separated from other elements before they can be used to provide energy.
This can be done in a number of different ways, each of which is color-coded according to the emissions produced.
- At the dirtier end of the scale is brown hydrogen made from coal.
- Gray hydrogen is made from natural gas. A process that still generates a lot of carbon waste.
- The cleaner blue variety is also made from natural gas, but uses carbon capture technology to store carbon dioxide instead of emitting it to the atmosphere.
- Green hydrogen ranks among the best on the environmentally friendly table. It is produced by electrolyzing water using renewable energy. Electric current generated by wind or solar energy splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
As the world scrambles to reduce emissions, green hydrogen is attracting the attention of investors and policy makers.
Problem: Cost !
But there is a problem! The cost of green hydrogen is still too high, about US$5 per kilogram. In order to compete with fossil fuels, this number needs to be less than $1. Analysts said that with the support of research and development by institutions such as the US Department of Energy, this may happen in the next few decades, or even earlier.
If it is really eye-catching, it is estimated that the value of the hydrogen economy by 2050 may be as high as US$2.5 trillion.
