INTRODUCTION

What is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a more environmentally friendly alternative to methane, also known as natural gas. It is the
most abundant chemical element, accounting for 75% of the universe's mass.

Natural gas, nuclear power, biogas, and renewable energy sources such as solar and wind can all be used
to produce hydrogen. The problem is to harness hydrogen as a gas on a large scale to fuel our homes
and businesses.

How hydrogen could be an important part of the renewable energy transition?

Hydrogen is being touted as the fuel of the future because it doesn't produce any carbon dioxide when
used. It can store energy for long periods of time, like nuclear does, and doesn't require large swathes of
land to be flooded, like hydroelectricity.

(So…what’s the catch?) Not all hydrogen is created equal

Hydrogen is carbon-free at the point of use, but this only tells part of the story. There are several
different ways of producing hydrogen, with varying levels of carbon intensity. The key is what kind of
electricity you're using to create the electric current. If it's from renewable sources, then the overall
process will be effectively carbon free. But if it's using electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, the
process is very carbon intensive.

The other method is to mix natural gas (or as we prefer to call it, fossil gas) with steam. This method
currently accounts for 98% of all hydrogen production. While not as bad as using electricity generated
using fossil fuels, the process still releases huge amounts of carbon – each tonne of hydrogen produced
releases eleven tonnes of CO2, equivalent to driving 72,000 km in a passenger car.

What is green hydrogen? How does it differ from traditional emissions-intensive ‘grey’ hydrogen and
blue hydrogen? How polluting is hydrogen?

Today, we have different kinds of technology that allow us to obtain hydrogen. But they are not all
sustainable. A color code distinguishing between the four types of hydrogen has been created to
indicate the impact that they have and the emissions they generate: Different methods of producing
hydrogen are often referred to by certain colors:

Hydrogen color codes

Grey hydrogen – Produced by mixing fossil gas with steam. Releases large quantities of CO2.

Blue hydrogen: Produced using the same method as grey hydrogen, but with carbon emissions
supposedly captured and stored underground. Yet to be proven at any significant scale. Both grey and
blue hydrogen are more accurately called ‘fossil hydrogen’. This is produced from fossil fuels with
carbon capture and storage technologies and is less polluting than grey hydrogen.
Green hydrogen: This is produced using renewable energy or produced by passing electricity generated
from renewable sources through water, making it the most suitable method for a totally sustainable
energy transition. Results in very low carbon emissions.

Define the Issue

Our environment is constantly changing, and as our environment changes so does the need to become
increasingly aware of the environmental issues that are causing these changes. With a massive increase
in natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, and different types of weather patterns, people need
to be a lot more cautious with the way they lead their lives in conjunction with the types of
environmental issues our planet is facing.

Environmental issues are the harmful effects of human activities on the environment. These include
pollution, waste disposal, climate change, global warming, the greenhouse effect, etc.

1. Climate change is a great concern in today’s scenario. This problem has surfaced in the last few
decades. Greenhouse gases are the major cause of climate change. Environmental changes have
several destructive impacts such as the melting of glaciers, change in seasons, epidemics, etc.
2. The burning of fossil fuels, emissions from automobiles and chlorofluorocarbons add to the
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has led to an increase in the earth’s temperature
causing environmental changes. This increase in temperature across the globe is known as
global warming.

Define the Solution

What are the main uses of hydrogen?

Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in two main ways. It can be burnt to produce heat, or it can be fed into a
hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity. Hydrogen has huge potential to replace natural gas as a way of
heating domestic and commercial buildings.

Hydrogen is already being used to fuel buses and other forms of public transport (transportation). It can
also be used to power (generation) freight trucks and trains, while hydrogen-based fuels such as
ammonia can be used in aviation and shipping.

Green hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water is less than 0.1% of total hydrogen production. It
may be used to decarbonize sectors which are hard to electrify, such as steel and cement production,
and thus help to limit climate change.

IMPACT OF GREEN HYDROGEN

Hydrogen as a fuel is a reality in countries like the United States, Russia, China, France and Germany.
Others like Japan are going even further and aspire to become a hydrogen economy. Below we explain
what the impact will be in the future:

Electricity and drinking water generator

These two elements are obtained by reacting hydrogen and oxygen together in a fuel cell. This process
has proved very useful on space missions, for example, by providing crews with water and electricity in a
sustainable manner.

Energy storage

Compressed hydrogen tanks are capable of storing energy for long periods of time and are also easier to
handle than lithium-ion batteries because they are lighter.

Transport and mobility

Hydrogen's great versatility allows it to be used in those consumption niches that are very difficult to
decarbonise, such as heavy transport, aviation and maritime transport. There are already several
projects under way in this area, such as Hycarus and Cryoplane, which are promoted by the European
Union (EU) and aim to introduce it in passenger aircraft.

Countries
Chile; 22; 5%
China; 26; 6%
Australia; 96; 22%
Portugal; 28; 6%

Russia; 36; 8%

Germany; 50; 11%

United States; 37; 8%

United Kingdom; 46; Spain; 50; 11%

10%
Netherlands; 48; 11%

Still, transitioning to renewable energy is one of the most powerful ways for a country to reduce its
Ecological Footprint. Many countries still have a long way to go on that front.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GREEN HYDROGEN

This energy source has pros and cons that we must be aware of. Let's go over some of its most
important good points:

100 % sustainable: green hydrogen does not emit polluting gases either during combustion or during
production.

Storable: hydrogen is easy to store, which allows it to be used subsequently for other purposes and at
times other than immediately after its production.

Versatile: green hydrogen can be transformed into electricity or synthetic gas and used for commercial,
industrial or mobility purposes.

CHALLENGES FOR GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

green hydrogen also has negative aspects that should be borne in mind:

High cost: energy from renewable sources, which are key to generating green hydrogen through
electrolysis, is more expensive to generate, which in turn makes hydrogen more expensive to obtain.

High energy consumption: the production of hydrogen in general and green hydrogen requires more
energy than other fuels.

Safety issues: hydrogen is a highly volatile and flammable element and extensive safety measures are
therefore required to prevent leakage and explosions.
Conclusion
Green hydrogen and fuel cell technology can be an environmentally friendly alternative to diesel
generators, which are widely used as backup power in urban areas and as a power source in remote off-
grid areas in the Philippines.

Green hydrogen could be a critical enabler of the global transition to sustainable energy and net zero
emissions economies.