HYDROGEN PRODUCTION OVERVIEW
By: Amar Kumar Yadav
Process
WHAT IS HYDROGEN
- Simplest and most abundant element in the universe.
- Colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas at standard conditions.
- Used as an industrial feedstock or as an intermediate chemical feedstock or as a fuel or energy
source
WHAT IS HYDROGEN
- 1 kg of hydrogen contains approximately the same energy as a gallon (2.8 kg) of gasoline.
- Potential to eliminate global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
- Hydrogen supply alone would result in a reduction of 830 million tons of CO2 per year which is
roughly the annual carbon equivalent of Germany, the world’s fourth largest economy
COLORS OF HYDROGEN
To determine the type of hydrogen production, we consider
1. The hydrogen feedstock
2. The energy input into the production process
3. The treatment of carbon emissions that may arise
GRAY HYDROGEN
- Using fossil fuels such as natural gas, ethanol, or propane as
the feedstock.
- Steam methane reformation (SMR) process
- Approximately 71% of the hydrogen produced
BROWN HYDROGEN
- Produced by gasifying solid fossil fuels such as coal or
lignite.
- Steam methane reformation (SMR) process
- Brown hydrogen accounts for approximately 23%
COLORS OF HYDROGEN
BLUE HYDROGEN
- Using fossil fuels as the feedstock.
- Uses carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology to reduce carbon emissions.
- Blue hydrogen is a lower-carbon hydrogen.
- Carbon capture technologies can reduce carbon emissions by 71-92%, but this technology is not
yet widely commercial.
GREEN HYDROGEN
- Created from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro
power, biomass, biogas, or municipal waste.
- Can be created by below methods:
1. Electrolysis of water with renewable energy
2. Steam methane reformation (SMR) of biogas
3. Thermal conversion or gasification of organic matter and other
waste streams
GREEN HYDROGEN
- Electrolysis: very low cost wind and solar electricity
- Other two production cases: help solve waste issues by transforming waste products into a
value stream
- Currently, accounts for only 0.1% of global production with only $365 million invested in 94
megawatts (MW) of capacity
GREEN HYDROGEN SAFETY
Safe, non-toxic, and reliable fuel with 70 million tons produced and consumed each year
around the world.
Accidents:
- In 1937, the Hindenburg, a lighter-than-air airship held aloft by hydrogen, tragically caught fire
and exploded during a lightning storm
Safety benefits:
- Non-toxic, colorless, and odorless gas.
- Lighter than air (14x lighter) and about 57x lighter than gasoline vapor, so it dissipates rapidly.
- Rises in surrounding air, so it is unlikely to remain near the ground where people are in the
case of a fire.
- Combustion is more rapid than combustion of other fuels.
GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION, STORAGE, & DISTRIBUTION
GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
ELECTROLYSIS WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY
- Sourced from zero carbon resources including solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal energy.
- Referred to as “electrolytic hydrogen.”
- Electrolysis is a method of using the energy from an electric current to split water into its
elemental components: oxygen and hydrogen.
- Electrolyzer is powered by renewable energy, green hydrogen is produced by using water as a
feedstock
- Emits no greenhouse gases
GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
ELECTROLYSIS WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY
The most mature electrolysis technology is the alkaline electrolyzer, primarily used for large-scale
commercial hydrogen production.
Other electrolyzer technologies include proton exchange membrane electrolysis and solid oxide
electrolyzer cells modular electrolyzer system capacities range from kilowatts to megawatts
GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
STEAM METHANE REFORMATION OF BIOGAS
- Biogases can also be used as a feedstock for steam methane reformation (SMR).
- Biogas input is produced from biomass through the process of anaerobic decomposition.
- The composition of biogas varies from 40%–60% methane to 60%–40% carbon dioxide (co2),
with small amounts of water vapor and other gases
- Methane from biogas is steam reformed
- Green hydrogen that results is considered a renewable carbon-neutral fuel because the carbon
used is already active in the earth’s carbon cycle.
- Different from fossil fuels, where carbon once trapped deep under the earth is released adding
net carbon to the environment.
- Biogas can be sourced from landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, and animal or plant waste.
- Environmentally friendly process.
GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
THERMAL CONVERSION/GASIFICATION OF ORGANIC MATTER AND/OR WASTE
- Applying high heat and/or pressure to the organic matter to transform the material from a solid
state to a gaseous state.
- Resulting components of the gas are mainly hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide,
Which is further purified to produce hydrogen or methane that can be used for fuel
-This method of creating green hydrogen is in early commercialization.
- This system is carbon-neutral and can help create value for wastes, encouraging the recycling of
biomass and other organic material into useful fuels
GREEN HYDROGEN STORAGE
- Gas compression or liquefication, a commonly used strategy for the storage of all industrial
gases.
- To transport large quantities of hydrogen, the gas must be either pressurized and delivered as a
compressed gas or cooled and liquefied.
- Can be stored via different methods and at different temperatures and pressures depending
On the application.
- In smaller volumes, hydrogen is usually stored in compression or in cryogenic tanks
- In large volumes, it is more cost-effective to use bulk-storage facilities.
- Bulk storage can be in natural geological formations such as salt caverns and depleted oil wells
GREEN HYDROGEN DISTRIBUTION
Distribute hydrogen, including via pipeline, road transport, rail, and marine shipping.
PIPELINES
- Once compressed, hydrogen can be transported and stored in pipelines.
- Existing pipeline infrastructure can store hydrogen either in its pure form or in a blend with
natural gas.
DEDICATED HYDROGEN PIPELINES
- In these pipes, hydrogen is transported at constant, relatively low pressure
BLENDED HYDROGEN IN PIPELINES
- Hydrogen can be transported through natural gas pipelines as a blend with natural gas, then
either separated in facilities close to the point of consumption or delivered as a blend to end
users
- The presence of up to 15% hydrogen by volume in natural gas pipelines allows for delivery
without significantly increasing risks from use of the gas blend in end-use devices or the integrity
of the natural gas pipeline network, however, the appropriate blend may vary significantly
between various pipeline network systems
GREEN HYDROGEN DISTRIBUTION
Distribute hydrogen, including via pipeline, road transport, rail, and marine shipping.
ALTERNATIVE HYDROGEN CARRIERS
-Hydrogen can be distributed in alternative chemical forms such as ethanol (C2H6O), natural gas
(CH4), or ammonia (NH3). Because each of these molecules contain hydrogen atoms, the
hydrogen can be transported in one form, and then stripped and reconstituted into its pure form
(H2) once it reaches its destination.
- Alternative hydrogen carriers can enable easier and less expensive transport.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
Green hydrogen could play a major role in cleaning energy systems by providing carbon-free fuel
flexibility and energy storage. Its versatility to provide heat, fuel, and power system services can
be leveraged to decarbonize multiple sectors
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
POWER GENERATION
- Used as a fuel source to produce dispatchable renewable electricity on demand.
- Two primary mechanisms for this: combusting hydrogen fuel in a gas turbine (power-gas-
power) and combustion-free electricity production using a fuel cell
Power To Gas To Power
- Power plants provide centralized energy generation and are important parts of our electrical
system, providing both baseload and peaking load power.
- All gas turbines work by converting the chemical energy in fuel (natural gas, hydrogen,
methanol) to heat, and then converting that heat to work, in this case in the form of electrical
power
- Hydrogen can be safely combusted in a gas turbine and has environmental benefits over other
fuels
- Help reduce NOx production in the combustion process, bringing NOx emissions down to 2
ppm or less
- Also eliminates particulate, sulfur, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
POWER GENERATION
Fuel Cell Electricity
- Fuel cells produce electricity without combustion requiring only a constant source of fuel and
oxygen
- Operate silently and with extremely high reliability.
- Carbon-free, only producing electricity, heat, and water
Working Fundamentals
- Composed of an anode, cathode, and an electrolyte membrane, is like an electrolyzer in
reverse.
- Works by passing hydrogen gas through the anode and oxygen through the cathode. While
hydrogen protons pass through the membrane in between, the electrons are forced take another
path, forming an external circuit that creates an electrical current. The electrons then rejoin the
hydrogen on the other side of the membrane, where they bond with the oxygen in the cathode
to form water- its only emission source. The electrical current that is created can power a
lightbulb, a motor, or be fed into the electric grid.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
Fuel Cell Electricity
Fuel cells have three main applications:
1. Portable uses including recharging batteries, directly powering consumer electronics and also
supplying off-the-grid backup power.
2. Stationary installations for combined heat and power (CHP), uninterruptible power supplies
(UPS), backup power, and baseload distributed primary power supply.
3. Motive power for buses, trains, boats, cars, scooters, forklifts, trucks, and even aircraft.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
MULTI-DAY & SEASONAL (BULK) ENERGY STORAGE
Green hydrogen is an ideal energy storage carrier for bulk, multi-day and seasonal energy
storage.
- Can be stored in bulk for long periods and used on demand for balancing load on the grid
- Has separate power (kW) and energy (kWh) scaling
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
MULTI-DAY & SEASONAL (BULK) ENERGY STORAGE
Hydrogen used as a multi-day storage resource can provide carbon-free grid support during worst
case scenario grid disconnection events such as those that are increasingly arising from natural
disasters such as hurricanes and wildfire. Green hydrogen can accomplish this carbon-free grid
support either by replacing natural gas in existing thermal electric generating facilities or by
providing local distributed backup power to essential buildings such as hospitals and fire stations.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
DECARBONIZING THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE
Renewable hydrogen can be blended with natural gas
- Use in everything from home appliances to power plants.
- The presence of up to 15% hydrogen by volume in natural gas pipelines can safely allow for
delivery of the gas blend without affecting the integrity of the natural gas pipeline network or
many end use devices. The transition to partially decarbonized pipeline gas would enable
continued use of the existing natural gas pipeline distribution networks, valuable pre-existing
energy infrastructure.
- This application will help all gas pipeline end users decrease their carbon footprint, including
from residential and commercial end uses, such as cooking, and heating.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
HIGH TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
Industrial processes, including production of steel, cement, glass, and chemicals,
- Depends upon high temperatures to manipulate raw inputs into useful outputs.
- Green hydrogen, however, offers a solution by acting as a fuel to supply high heat for these
processes.
- Many high temperature industrial processes depend on coal as a heat source. Coal contributes
to air pollution with particulate matter, sulfur dioxide emissions, mercury, lead, and other
heavy metals, as well as carbon dioxide.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
TRANSPORTATION
Green hydrogen is an excellent option for low carbon transport where rapid fueling, long range,
and a large payload are required. Using hydrogen as an alternative to electric vehicles - especially
for trucks and buses - can alleviate pressure on the electric grid. It can also power marine shipping
and aviation, which are poor canidates for electrification.
Land Transportation
- Hydrogen vehicles are an important complement to battery electric vehicles for decarbonizing
transportation.
- Hydrogen vehicles can alleviate pressure on the electric grid, smartly utilize gas pipeline
infrastructure to decarbonize transportation and create fuel diversity and resiliency for land
transport applications.
- Hydrogen vehicles can be refueled quickly, similar to gasoline pumping, taking about five to
seven minutes to fill a light duty vehicle.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
Marine Transportation
Propulsion on a hydrogen fueled ship can be powered by an electric motor that is receiving
electricity from a fuel cell, or the ship can use hydrogen fuel in gas powered engine.
Aviation
- Aviation is the most carbon-intensive form of transport, globally responsible for about 2% of
global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Hydrogen-powered fuel cell airplanes emit only water and tend to be much quieter than
traditional aircraft.
- A hydrogen plane requires a storage system to safely store liquid hydrogen, fuel cells to
convert hydrogen to electricity, a device to control the power of the cells, and a motor to turn
a propeller.
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
HEATING FOR BUILDINGS
Heating demand for buildings rarely aligns with the timing of renewable generation driven by
availability of sun and wind.
Heating is the largest energy demand in residential and commercial buildings in areas with cold
winters.
Onsite hydrogen fuel cells can provide heat and electricity to buildings. Onsite fuel cells provide
energy diversity and can be operated in “island” mode or as part of a microgrid, ensuring
resiliency and continued, uninterrupted service, even when the electric grid is down.
INDUSTRIAL FEEDSTOCK
Over 70% of the hydrogen consumed today is used as an industrial feedstock.
Processes such as the production of ammonia for fertilizers, production of methanol, and oil
refining all require hydrogen
GREEN HYDROGEN ECONOMY BENEFITS
AGRICULTURE
Fertilizers provide vital nutrients to plants and play a critical role in achieving high crop yields
needed to feed the growing world population, soon approaching eight billion people
MINING
Minerals and metals mining is responsible for 4-7% of global GHG emissions.
Remote mining sites operate far from high-quality energy infrastructure connections. Remote
Area Power Systems (RAPS) often rely on diesel fuel for their varied energy needs, from
generating power to operating mining equipment such as drills, shovels, loaders, and material
handling trucks.
Diesel exhaust conditions are exacerbated in enclosed underground mines, so companies must
install proper ventilation to protect workers; running these ventilation systems can represent up
to 30-40% of a mine’s total energy operating costs.
GREEN HYDROGEN VALUE PROPOSITION
Green hydrogen is becoming cost competitive with gray hydrogen as the price of renewable
inputs, fuel cells, and electrolyzers decrease
BENEFITS OF GREEN HYDROGEN
Much like conventional energy storage on the grid, green hydrogen has values that exceed its
costs as a drop-in replacement for gray hydrogen or natural gas.
GREEN HYDROGEN VALUE PROPOSITION
BENEFITS OF GREEN HYDROGEN
• Avoid Grid Build Out
• Repurpose Existing Infrastructure
• Prevent Renewable Curtailment
• Create Jobs
• Eliminate Greenhouse Gases
• Clean Air For All Communities
• Clean Air For All Communities
• Reduce Agricultural+municipal Waste
• Diversify Fuels
GREEN HYDROGEN BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES
The greatest barriers and challenges to the rapid deployment of green hydrogen lie not with the
technology but with market design. Barriers like dependence on the “least cost” paradigm,
decoupled gas and electricity sector planning, and the need for leadership, focus, and alignment
must be addressed to successfully scale green hydrogen.
Thankyou
