Page 52 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2019 publication
P. 52
52 Spring 2019 European Energy Innovation
ZERO CARBON HYDROGEN
Zero Carbon Hydrogen
Green Energy to the World
By Prof Dr Robert Steinberger-Wilckens (pictured), Centre for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research,
University of Birmingham
Many governments have compounds such as water, ammonia, (gas) that is easily stored and has
today recognised that methane and all other hydrocarbons, a two-century-long history of safe
hydrogen technology is cellulosis, sugar etc. Energy is handling, storage, and transport. This
key to reducing emissions. therefore needed to separate the process has been labelled ‘Power to
A typical example gradually making hydrogen from the other parts of Gas’ (P2G) and is rapidly developing
it into public perception is the use such compounds. Typically this would into one of the ‘silver bullets’ to
of hydrogen as a fuel for Fuel Cell be electricity to split water in so- building zero carbon energy systems,
Electric Vehicles (FCEV). These called electrolysers, or heat to crack providing ample storage capacity and
vehicles are electric but do not only methane molecules. Roughly 15 to flexibility in gas usage for the heating,
rely on a battery storage but add a 35% of energy are lost as heat in such power or transport markets.
fuel cell that will continuously be processes.
fed by a fuel, most often hydrogen. The current gas pipelines in many
Refuelling is done in minutes and the The market for hydrogen is vast cities still stem from the times of
range of these vehicles is comparable today, although the general public town gas – which to around 50%
to cars with internal combustion is little aware of the many uses of consisted of hydrogen – used from
engines. The tremendous advantage hydrogen even today. Just as a few the early days of the 20th century
on top of this is that there will be examples, refineries employ hydrogen up until the 1960ies, when it was
zero pollutant emissions from the for cracking crude oil, margarine as replaced by natural gas. Producing
tailpipe of FCEV – the only thing that well as fertilisers are made with the hydrogen from green electricity and
is produced in the fuel cell is water. help of hydrogen. So the question adding it to the natural gas grids
immediately arises: if energy is will therefore replace some of the
Nevertheless, hydrogen is no resource needed to produce hydrogen, methane and thus cause less CO2
that can be mined anywhere. where does this come from and emissions at point-of-use, e.g. heating
Although it is the substance the are we simply shifting emissions boilers or gas turbines, since burning
universe is made of, estimated 90% and pollution from point-of-use (for hydrogen only produces water. To
of interstellar mass being hydrogen, instance the vehicle travelling around the extreme, hydrogen could even
on earth, it is part of many chemical a city) to the production site of the completely replace the natural gas
hydrogen gas? This is a very valid and the gas grid would be converted
concern. As it stands, the hydrogen to a 100% hydrogen network, building
used today is ‘black’ and is produced a ‘Hydrogen Economy’ based on
from natural gas or by regular grid hydrogen alone. The so-called
electricity, including the specific CO2, ‘admixing’ could help gradually phase
NOx, SO2, particles etc. emissions in hydrogen by stepwise increasing
and pollution from gas and electricity the hydrogen concentration in the
production and processing. pipelines.
The use of electricity is gradually Unfortunately, burning hydrogen in a
becoming ‘cleaner’ as renewable jet flame, internal combustion engine
electricity is inevitably making its or turbine produces pollutants such
way to supplying the major share in as nitrous oxides (NOx) simply due to
power markets. Producing hydrogen the high temperature reaction with
from renewable electricity offers air. Thus, though production might
an interesting option to turn a now be emission-free, pollutants are
form of energy that is difficult to produced at point-of-use. Large-
store (electricity) into a substance scale employment of fuel cells
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