Driven by climate-related concerns, interest in hydrogen for its potential to play a significant role in decarbonization is surging. An increased urgency to get on track with decarbonization targets set by governments and corporations for the next few decades has sparked investments in technologies for low- and no-carbon hydrogen production, infrastructure and broader application areas.
Moving toward a hydrogen economy
Last month, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA; www.irena.org) issued its new report, titled “Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor.” In brief, the report analyzes how a global hydrogen economy could reshape geoeconomics and geopolitics. For example, countries with low-cost renewable energy could become centers for “green” hydrogen supply and export, since green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, using renewable energy sources. While IRENA affirms that there are many uncertainties in how the hydrogen market will develop, it estimates that hydrogen could contribute up to 12% of global energy consumption by 2050. During this decade, it is expected that there will be a focus on gaining technology leadership, while hydrogen demand is expected to increase in the 2030s, as the cost of green hydrogen becomes competitive with fossil-fuel-based production.
As of November, there were over 520 large-scale hydrogen-related projects announced worldwide in 2021, representing about $160 billion of direct investments, according to the Hydrogen Council (www.hydrogencouncil.com) and McKinsey & Company (www.mckinsey.com) in their co-authored report “Hydrogen for Net Zero.” While this is a significant investment, the report estimates that it is only about 25% of the amount that will be needed by 2030 in order to reach the 2050 net-zero emission targets.
Applications and advances
Currently, the main applications for hydrogen are in petroleum refining and chemical (ammonia) production. Hydrogen use can, however, be expanded to reduce emissions in additional industrial applications, such as in steel production, as well as in aviation, shipping and trucking, thus greatly increasing its demand.
Steam methane reforming (SMR) is currently the main production route for hydrogen. Advances in hydrogen production are focused on two routes: 1) producing green hydrogen by electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources; and 2) reducing emissions from SMR to produce a low-carbon, or “blue” hydrogen, by capturing the produced carbon dioxide. In addition to making green hydrogen cost-competitive with the fossil-fuel-based route, additional challenges to advancing the hydrogen economy include transportation and distribution of the product.
Sustainability
Spotlight on hydrogen
| By Dorothy Lozowski
Driven by climate-related concerns, interest in hydrogen for its potential to play a significant role in decarbonization is surging. An increased urgency to get on track with decarbonization targets set by governments and corporations for the next few decades has sparked investments in technologies for low- and no-carbon hydrogen production, infrastructure and broader application areas.
Moving toward a hydrogen economy
Last month, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA; www.irena.org) issued its new report, titled “Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor.” In brief, the report analyzes how a global hydrogen economy could reshape geoeconomics and geopolitics. For example, countries with low-cost renewable energy could become centers for “green” hydrogen supply and export, since green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, using renewable energy sources. While IRENA affirms that there are many uncertainties in how the hydrogen market will develop, it estimates that hydrogen could contribute up to 12% of global energy consumption by 2050. During this decade, it is expected that there will be a focus on gaining technology leadership, while hydrogen demand is expected to increase in the 2030s, as the cost of green hydrogen becomes competitive with fossil-fuel-based production.
As of November, there were over 520 large-scale hydrogen-related projects announced worldwide in 2021, representing about $160 billion of direct investments, according to the Hydrogen Council (www.hydrogencouncil.com) and McKinsey & Company (www.mckinsey.com) in their co-authored report “Hydrogen for Net Zero.” While this is a significant investment, the report estimates that it is only about 25% of the amount that will be needed by 2030 in order to reach the 2050 net-zero emission targets.
Applications and advances
Currently, the main applications for hydrogen are in petroleum refining and chemical (ammonia) production. Hydrogen use can, however, be expanded to reduce emissions in additional industrial applications, such as in steel production, as well as in aviation, shipping and trucking, thus greatly increasing its demand.
Steam methane reforming (SMR) is currently the main production route for hydrogen. Advances in hydrogen production are focused on two routes: 1) producing green hydrogen by electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources; and 2) reducing emissions from SMR to produce a low-carbon, or “blue” hydrogen, by capturing the produced carbon dioxide. In addition to making green hydrogen cost-competitive with the fossil-fuel-based route, additional challenges to advancing the hydrogen economy include transportation and distribution of the product.
For recent news on hydrogen in this issue, see “Advanced amine-scrubbing solvent offers carbon-capture advantages” on p. 6, and “Demonstration plant will convert waste biomass into emissions-free hydrogen” on p. 8. In addition to our magazine and website, the latest news on hydrogen can also be found in our e-letters that are specifically dedicated to this topic, as well as our newest event, HydrogeNext (www.experience-power.com/hydrogen-next). ■