What is Green Hydrogen? Uses, Production & Technology, Companies

Green hydrogen is hydrogen fuel produced from renewable power through the electrolysis of water utilizing sources such as wind, solar, or hydropower. Water (H2O) is comprised of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) atoms, and when renewable power is used for electrolysis of water, then the hydrogen is called green hydrogen. This production of hydrogen is different from gray hydrogen (derived from fossil sources) and other categories such as blue hydrogen (being fossil-based and with carbon capturing technology).

Green hydrogen is considered a renewable energy source since it is derived from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy for electricity generation such as solar or wind. Additionally, green hydrogen is environmentally the safest method for producing hydrogen since it doesn’t involve any fossil fuels.

Green hydrogen provides a credible and viable strategy for dealing with climate change and improving energy security issues. Technological advancements and fall in prices prompt that green hydrogen will find a niche in the coming energy clean energy economy.

Green hydrogen is seen in today’s energy policies as one such clean energy carrier which can also address the problem of energy security. Projection of widespread use of green hydrogen is based on the prospects of its low-cost production and efficiency of technology development.

Most importantly, green hydrogen can be regarded as an energy source that can be a substitute to fossil fuels in various applications such as transportation, heating, electricity generation and even a storage medium for electricity.

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Uses of Green Hydrogen

Green Hydrogen is a clean energy resource which can perform multiple functions across many sectors:

1. Industry: Green hydrogen can substitute the grey hydrogen in the industrial sectors like steel and chemicals which would aim towards reduction of the carbon emissions.
    
2. Transportation: There are more /Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle/ FCEV which can utilize green hydrogen fuel and alternative might be electric cars powered by batteries for operations such as long-haul trucks, buses and trains.
    
3. Power Generation: Hydrogen carries excess energy when it is generated from renewable sources and can also be stored into fuel cells or gas turbines to produce power when required such as during peak period or low renewable energy generation.
    
4. Residential & Commercial Heating: Hydrogen can also be mixed with natural gas or even used in heating units in households and commercial buildings.

Green Hydrogen Production Technology

It is in the process of electrolysis, which makes it possible to produce green hydrogen. This method uses a device called an electrolyzer, which is used to decompose water by applying an electric current. This way of producing hydrogen is completely free from carbon emissions since it is fueled with clean renewable energy.

The electrolyzers used in green hydrogen plants can be grouped into two main categories:

1. Alkaline Electrolyzers – This is the oldest and cheapest technology but has problems of working with constant intermittent sources of energy such as renewables
    
2. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Electrolyzers – This is a better technology that guarantees more efficiency but is also constrained within limitations of supply due to the need of using renewable energy which is not constant.

Construction of a green hydrogen plant would not only require access to renewable energy but also advanced storage and transportation facilities. Hydrogen is very explosive, and such will be stored in either in pressurized gas or in a cryogenic liquid which requires complex engineering systems.

This technology has many alternative scenarios or technology variations, modified and adopting new trends. Cost trends in the production of hydrogen from water are continuously decreasing due to the improvement of the electrolysing efficiency and the availability of renewable energy resources.

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Green Hydrogen Companies

Many players are within the green hydrogen, which entails improving electrolyzer efficiency, cut costs and increase production. Some of the companies include:

• – ITM Power (UK): British enterprise, which works towards the construction of production and development of alkaline electrolysis. Deals with PEM electrolysis and collaborated with renewable companies for the construction of large-scale green hydrogen facilities.
   
• – Nel Hydrogen (Norway): Based in Norway, the company has a focus on hydrogen solutions with a product range that includes electrolyzers. Pioneers of hydrogen systems, working with a full fleet of alkaline and PEM electrolyzers for the hydrogen generation applications.
   
• – Plug Power (USA): Headquartered in the USA, the company is a leader in hydrogens fuel cells and electrolyzers and is expanding the use of infrastructure for green hydrogens, gas-phase transports.
   
• – Siemens Energy (Germany): The company is an energy technology platform operating across the globe and provides inclusive treatments on hydrogen and its derivatives. Implements advanced power-to-hydrogen concepts, including cutting edge electrolyzers for all-inclusive solutions for the fabrication of green hydrogen.
   

Green hydrogen is one of the indispensable drivers of a low-carbon economy transition. The production of green hydrogen presents a zero-emission option for deriving energy in climate unfriendly sectors such as heavy industries, transport, and energy storage. Due to technological developments and the increase in green hydrogen production facilities, it is expected to be one of the important components of the global energy structure.

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