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Hydrogen productionWhile hydrogen is by far the most common element in the Universe it does not occur in its free form above or under the surface of the Earth in useful deposits. However it is plentiful in chemically combined form in petroleum (combined with carbon), and most importantly as far as sustainability is concerned, in water (combined with oxygen).How do we get free, uncombined, hydrogen?There are four main methods by which hydrogen is commercially produced. The first three involve the use of natural gas, oil or coal. The last uses the electrolysis of water. They account for 48%, 30% 18% and 4% of the world’s hydrogen production respectively at or about the time of writing: (Wikipedia). The first three methods are of no use if we are to achieve the zero carbon economy that we must have if we are to not irreparably damage the planet because they all involved burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon dioxide.
Electrolysis, which uses electricity to break hydrogen away from oxygen in water can be powered sustainably by renewable energy without producing greenhouse gasses. |
What's wrong with using gas, oil or coal to produce hydrogen?If natural gas is used to produce hydrogen, for every tonne of hydrogen 9 to 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) are also produced (Wikipedia). If oil is used, even more CO2 is produced, and coal is far worse again.Natural gas and oil contain substantial amounts of hydrogen, coal contains very little. When coal is used to produce hydrogen it serves only as a source of the energy needed to break the water molecules into free hydrogen and oxygen atoms. This results in huge amounts of CO2 being released; for example, in a pilot plant for using brown coal to produce hydrogen to be built in Australia, 160 tonnes of coal will be used to produce three tonnes of hydrogen, along the way releasing 450 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere; that is 150 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of hydrogen. A process called carbon capture and storage can theoretically be used to catch the CO2 and put it in underground reservoirs where it will stay for many years. However, this process is so expensive that it is rarely used. Worldwide the production of hydrogen is a major industry. Chris Goodall states in Carbon Commentary that 1% of the world's greenhouse gases come from the production of hydrogen. There is every reason to believe that hydrogen production and use will increase greatly in years to come so making that production sustainable is very important. |
Electrolytic production of hydrogenCrystal Brook Energy Park (CBEP) in northern South Australia. The CBEP will include a wind farm, solar farm, big battery and an electrolytic hydrogen plant aimed at producing 20 tonnes of hydrogen per day. Garth Heron of Neoen has said:"At CB we are aiming to be competitive with Australian based steam methane reformation economics for hydrogen production."
There is another renewably powered electrolytic hydrogen production plant planned for Port Lincoln, also in South Australia. It has been reported that the Port Lincoln facility will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen per day. It is worth noting that photo-voltaic solar with electrolytic hydrogen production could compete with solar thermal power with storage. |
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Why use renewable energy to make hydrogen?Hydrogen can be made using coal as an energy source or from methane by steam-methane reformation, but both processes result in carbon dioxide emissions. Hydrogen can be made by electrolysis, powered by renewably generated electricity, without any carbon dioxide emissions.As more and more renewable energy, wind, solar PV, solar thermal, wave and others are built, there will be an increasing need to store excess energy when generation is greater than demand. At present there are times in South Australia, where an average of half of the electricity is generated by wind and solar, when wind turbines have to be turned off because there is too much power being generated.
Some excess energy can be sent elsewhere (interstate in the case of South Australia), but this is limited by the capacity of the power interconnectors, some can be stored in batteries, some in pumped hydro systems, and some can be converted to hydrogen.
What can hydrogen be used for?Hydrogen has many uses and potential uses. Like so many other things, cost is an important factor; the lower the cost the more uses become viable.Some uses of hydrogen:
Challenges and disadvantages of hydrogenHydrogen does have a number of unique challenges relating to its production, storage, transport and use.
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Related pagesOther links are scattered through the textRelated pages on external sitesResearch; Flow-through electrodes make hydrogen 50 times fasterBloomberg Green; Hyundai Hydrogen Chief on Why the Company Bet on Fuel Cells. Fuelling world sustainably synthesising ammonia using less energy; Mirage News, Tokyo Institute of Technology research, April 2020. Bottling Australian sunshine; South Korea is keen to enter the hydrogen future; Stockhead, April 2020; "... a joint report between the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and South Korea’s prestigious National Academy of Engineering Korea (NAEK) has indicated that Australia could be a world-leading hydrogen exporter by 2030."
National Hydrogen Roadmap – CSIRO; Bruce S, Temminghoff M, Hayward J, Schmidt E, Munnings C, Palfreyman D, Hartley P (2018)
Hydrogen for Australia's Future: A briefing paper for the COAG Energy Council; Prepared by the Hydrogen Strategy Group chaired by Australia's Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, August 2018. 16 renewable hydrogen projects backed by ARENA grants, written by Sophie Vorrath in Renew Economy, 2018/09/06. "... ARENA said the research and development projects targeted by the funding covered a diverse range of solutions, with at least one from each point in the supply chain: production, hydrogen carrier, and end use." Queensland to invest in exploring hydrogen energy, AAP, 2018/05/31. "The Queensland government has announced $750,000 will be allocated in next month's state budget to start developing hydrogen as a viable renewable energy source." Carbon Commentary, by Chris Goodall; Hydrogen made by the electrolysis of water is now cost competitive and gives us another building block for the low-carbon economy. Electrolysis of Water; Wikipedia Assessment of the cost of hydrogen from photovoltaic electricity, Australian Renewable Energy Authority. Hydrogen production from coal gasification, USA Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. AGL's media release on the hair-brained brown coal to hydrogen project in Victoria. AGL recognises the need for carbon capture and storage if the project goes full scale. They have not providing funding for the pilot coal-to-hydrogen project to be built in Victoria but are providing a site and the needed coal. AGL is the biggest producer of greenhouse gasses in Australia but is aggressively pursuing sustainable alternatives to coal-fired power generation. They have promised to phase out coal for power generation, but not until 2050, which is far later than needed. A drone powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cell, super capacitor and battery. University of Sydney aerospace engineering PhD candidate Andrew Gong, September 2018.
Related pages on this siteAustralia's energy futureBase load power: the facts Climate change, natural disasters and what we should be doing Hydrogen; power to gas, in Australia Greatest crime in history (for a person in a position of power to knowingly lie in support of fossil fuels or in opposition of renewable energy development). How should Australia generate its electricity? Major threatened disasters compared; including climate change. Mid-North South Australia, leading the nation in renewable energy Northern SA's renewables; the renewable boom goes beyond the Mid-North Power to gas (hydrogen) in Australia Pumped hydro energy as a means of storing energy
The end of coal is imminent South Australia's energy future SA's highly successful adoption of renewables Some impressive renewable energy developments in Australia
The coal-obsessed
Turnbull Australian Government Who wants renewable energy?; just about everyone. |
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