Is Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future?
Currently, the world produces 75 million tons of hydrogen each year. Most of it is generated from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas and coal and is commonly referred to as Grey Hydrogen. This grey hydrogen accounts for 6% of the global natural gas consumption, 2% of the global coal consumption, and results in 830 million tons of carbon dioxide being released every year.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe and while producing it requires energy, hydrogen can be emission-free at the point of use and offer a clean energy solution to a wide variety of parts of the economy, especially those that are difficult to decarbonise such as heavy-duty vehicles or ships.
Green Vs Blue – What is the Difference?
Blue Hydrogen is a term used for hydrogen produced from natural gas where the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) generated during the manufacturing process is captured and stored through a process called Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS). The result is low-carbon hydrogen that produces no CO2 and can be used to help decarbonise industrial heating, residential heating, and heavy-duty vehicles.
Green Hydrogen is defined as hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electric current in an electrolyzer, powered by renewable electricity. The biggest challenges the renewable energy sector faces are the weather and storage. Renewable energy production fluctuates depending on the weather. A lack of storage means that much of the energy we can generate from the wind or sun go to waste when there is nowhere for it to be stored. By using this excess energy, we can produce green hydrogen, which then becomes a form of renewable energy storage.
Hydrogen-Fuelled Cars Vs Electric Cars
Electric cars are firmly on the agenda for meeting net zero targets and great inroads have been made into battery technology making EVs quicker to charge with a longer range. However, the battery production for an EV generates higher emissions than the manufacturing of an ICE vehicle. In fact, almost twice as much CO2 emissions are generated in the production of an EV. There is then the need to consider the fuels that are behind the electricity used to charge your car. With only around 30% of our energy coming from renewable sources, there are still many EVs that are being charged with electricity generated from fossil fuels.
Hydrogen or Fuel cell electric cars (FCEVs) are powered by compressed hydrogen gas that feeds into an onboard fuel cell “stack” that transforms the fuel’s chemical energy into electrical energy. This electricity then powers the car’s electric motors. Exhaust emissions are zero, and the only waste produced is pure water. But there are still barriers to the production of mass-produced FCEVs, namely the cost of production, onboard fuel storage, the cost of hydrogen fuel and safety concerns.
How many jobs could hydrogen fuel generate?
Utilising hydrogen production could generate £18bn for the UK economy and support more than 75,000 jobs over the next 15 years. The Hydrogen Taskforce is lobbying for the UK Government to invest in boosting hydrogen production in the UK. The task force believes that the UK can be home to a world-leading hydrogen economy for hydrogen production, distribution and storage projects that could be used for transport and heating and blended into the gas grid. This year, the government opened applications for a £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, demonstrating how the government is making good progress on unlocking the £9 billion investment needed to make hydrogen a cornerstone of the UK’s greener future.
Hydrogen fuel offers the UK a huge economic opportunity. Our geology, infrastructure, and technical know-how make the UK ideally positioned to be a global leader in hydrogen and needs to be at the centre of planning for a green recovery that will deliver lasting sustainable growth.