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- Interest in hydrogen today While mainly used in industry today, interest in hydrogen is growing, with research and pilot projects springing up worldwide
- How would hydrogen be most effective? Hydrogen will be better suited for some applications than others, depending on practicalities and cost
Hydrogen stands out as an appealing and flexible energy carrier.A substance that contains energy which can later be converted into other forms for useIf produced cheaply and cleanly, it has the potential to replace fossil fuels for applications that cannot easily be electrified. However, the abundance, low cost and convenience of fossil fuelsMaterials containing carbon, formed long ago by geological processes acting on the remains of living organisms. Examples include coal and natural gas means that hydrogen has not been used widely outside of industrial processes. Due to a number of factors, including the need to reduce greenhouse gas A gas that traps heat and re-emits it into the Earth's atmosphere, raising global temperatures emissions, this could be about to change.
Interest in hydrogen today
Today, hydrogen is most commonly used in industry, mainly for petroleum refining and production of ammonia A toxic industrial chemical made of hydrogen and nitrogen, often used to make fertilisers. Chemical formula NH3 and methanol. In addition, several countries are beginning to increase development of hydrogen technology and infrastructure. Different countries are using hydrogen for different reasons – it could be to meet climate change and emissions targets (Europe), the need to reduce reliance on coal (China) or a desire to improve low-carbon transport and develop a hydrogen export industry (Australia).
How would hydrogen be most effective?
We have used hydrogen in lots of ways since its discovery in the 1700s – to fill blimps and airships, make fertilisers and turn crude oil into petroleum products. However, hydrogen has the potential for much more varied applications, although it is not yet clear which will take precedence. As with any energy source, the usefulness and value of hydrogen will depend on a number of factors which vary with location, sector and end use. How hydrogen continues to impact on our lives will depend on these new applications.
Some of the most important factors which will determine the future role of hydrogen include:
Cost
Predicting the future cost of hydrogen is difficult, as it depends on the method of production and the price of the feedstock A raw material needed to fuel a machine or industrial process needed to make it. ‘Green’ hydrogen, which is made using renewable electricity and water, is currently the most expensive. ‘Blue’ hydrogen, made using natural gas, has been touted as a cheaper option that is still low carbon (carbon capture usage and storage The process of trapping carbon dioxide from waste gases or the atmopshere, and then utilising it or storing it safely and permanently (CCUS) technology is used to prevent greenhouse gases being emitted). However, there are still questions over the availability of CCUS, and how it will work at scale.
What is clear is that renewable energy, hydrogen equipment and CCUS are all becoming cheaper. Optimistic predictions expect ‘green’ hydrogen to roughly halve in cost by 2030, which would make using it a lot more attractive as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Climate change and public awareness
Climate change has risen up the agenda due to the impact of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, floods and heatwaves. High-profile climate protests were often in the news in 2019, led by groups such as Extinction Rebellion and the Sunrise Movement. At the same time, governments and businesses are starting to recognise the risks of climate change and the need to end reliance on fossil fuels.
Some countries, such as the UK, France and Norway, have committed to the ambitious target of eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the 21st century. To meet this target, hydrogen has been cited as an essential tool. This is likely to drive demand for hydrogen in advanced economies sooner than it would in developing economies, where access to energy or switching away from coal are a higher priority than decarbonising supplies.
Infrastructure and technology development
Support from both public and private investors can kick-start the process of building hydrogen infrastructure. Alongside governments, support for new hydrogen projects could come from a range of sources, such as gas companies, car manufacturers and engineering firms. For instance, the Hydrogen Council, founded in 2017, is an initiative led by a number of companies working in energy, transport and industry, and works to boost investment in hydrogen and fuel cells. However, private investment is unlikely to occur without some significant public policy or tax interventions.
The state of infrastructure and technology will again vary from place to place; countries like the UK, which have an established gas grid, may be more likely to seek alternative gases such as hydrogen to heat homes. At a more local scale, areas which have heavy industries may be better suited to hydrogen production because of existing infrastructure or the skills of the local workforce. When it comes to personal transport, there is a lot more interest and investment in using batteries for cars rather than fuel cells. However, hydrogen may be more suited for powering buses, forklifts and freight trucks.