GREEN HYDROGEN-A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Here are many critical industrial processes that use hydrogen on Earth. Hydrogen that has been generated by electrolysis is green hydrogen. It can be produced in three major ways. This is the project Petrofac supports in Australia. 

 The majority of hydrogen used today comes from fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gases. Many critical industrial processes use hydrogen on Earth, including fertilizer production. Hydrogen produced from renewable sources, such as wind or solar power, rather than fossil fuel, is termed green hydrogen. on the other hand, cannot emit greenhouse gases as a byproduct. 

 In an ongoing effort to decarbonize our power and fuel supply and create new paths for economic development, the advancement of low-cost renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has never been more significant.  

 Hydrogen that has been generated by electrolysis is green hydrogen. The production can be done by electrolysis from renewable energy, steam reformation from biogas, or thermal conversion from biomass.

Hydrogen and oxygen are the only products. We can use hydrogen and release oxygen into the atmosphere with no negative impact. Electricity and power are required for electrolysis. Green hydrogen from renewable energy sources is the cleanest option since it doesn’t produce CO2 as a byproduct. This is the project Petrofac supports in Australia. 

It can be produced in Three significant ways: 

1. Alkaline Electrolysis 

2. Solid Oxide Electrolysis 

3. Use of proton Membranes 

Advantages and disadvantages of green hydrogen:

• It emits no pollution during combustion or production: it is 100 % sustainable. 
• Hydrogen can be stored. Therefore it can be used later for other purposes and later than when produced. 
• It can be used for domestic, commercial, industrial or mobility needs and converted into electricity or synthetic gas. 
• Transportation can be mixed with natural gas at up to 20% ratios. It can travel through the same gas lines and infrastructure – to become compatible with higher percentages, different elements in the existing gas networks would have to be changed. 

 Green hydrogen, however, also has some disadvantages that need to be considered: 

• Obtaining it is more expensive because renewable sources of energy, which are needed to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis, are more expensive to generate. 
• High energy consumption: It requires a lot of energy to produce in particular, compared to other fuels.  
• Safety issues: It is flammable and highly volatile, so extensive safety measures will be necessary to prevent leaks. 

 When describing hydrogen technologies, you may encounter terms such as ‘grey’, ‘blue’, and ‘green’. These terms refer to how hydrogen is produced. Even though hydrogen emits only water when burned, its creation can be carbon-intensive.

Hydrogen can sometimes be pink, yellow, purple, or turquoise, depending on the production method. However, it is imperative to reach net-zero by 2050, as it is the only climate-neutral type. 

In addition to oil and gas companies, renewable energy firms see green hydrogen as a promising emerging market. At least ten countries are pursuing green hydrogen for future energy security. Furthermore, more projects are being developed.