Hydrogen Economy is sparking in 2021. Everyone wishes for new Technology, new areas, New growth.
Published on September 5, 2021
What is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is odourless, flammable, chemical element. Hydrogen is represented by the letter H and atomic number 1.
71 % of the earth’s surface area is cover by water. Out of 71% water, 97 % cover by seawater & 3% is freshwater. Water is an essential part of our life. It requires everywhere in the Life cycle. Water is a known Hydrogen source. Water is a combination of Hydrogen & oxygen.
Hydrogen is the main element in the alternative energy domain. The concept of Hydrogen production is taking momentum across the globe. Many countries have started working on developing Hydrogen as the source of energy.
Clean energy – Green energy – Hydrogen Energy highlighted on energy strategy spectrum. The nations already decided on their own goals to achieve a clean energy target by 2030.
The development of Hydrogen energy on a large scale & addressing climate issues is the main target to many countries. To achieve the Hydrogen goal, they need to adopt advanced technology.
Hydrogen development road map is very important to achieve targets. The road maps are as above Yellow Hydrogen, Blue Hydrogen, Grey Hydrogen, Black Hydrogen, Green Hydrogen, Pink Hydrogen, White Hydrogen, Brown Hydrogen, Turquoise Hydrogen. The colours indicate how Hydrogen is made using raw material sources & extraction methods. The countries need to choose the right path & the right direction.
Types of Hydrogen
Grey Hydrogen
Hydrogen production using a fossil fuel source named Grey Hydrogen. The steam methane reforming using Natural gas as a source at high temperature 700-1000 deg Celsius produces Hydrogen. Hydrogen generation is without capturing Greenhouse gases.
Brown Hydrogen
The Lignite coal to Hydrogen via the gasification process. The syngas is forming from lignite coal which further converts to Hydrogen. This gas is called brown Hydrogen.
Black Hydrogen
The Bituminous coal to Hydrogen via the gasification process produces Hydrogen. This Hydrogen term is Black Hydrogen.
Pink Hydrogen
The electrolysis process split the water molecules into Hydrogen & Oxygen. This process requires electricity. When Electricity source from Nuclear energy the derived Hydrogen gas is labeled as Pink Hydrogen.
Yellow Hydrogen
The electrolysis process split the water molecules into Hydrogen & Oxygen. This process requires electricity. If Electricity source from Solar energy then, such Hydrogen is labeled as yellow Hydrogen.
Green Hydrogen
The electrolysis process split the water molecules into Hydrogen & Oxygen. This process requires electricity if Electricity source from renewable energy, the Hydrogen gas is labeled as Green Hydrogen. Biomass gasification produces syngas. Syngas to hydrogen production with carbon-negative potential under controlled process converts biomass to Hydrogen and carbon dioxide without combustion. This Hydrogen is also called Green Hydrogen.
Blue Hydrogen
Hydrogen is produced from Natural gas using steam reforming technology. Carbon capture & storage is essential in this process. The Hydrogen is named Blue Hydrogen.
White Hydrogen
Hydrogen is naturally available in the underground deposits process by fracking & separated by a membrane technology called White Hydrogen.
Turquoise Hydrogen
The methane pyrolysis process produces Hydrogen and carbon as a by-product. Due to renewable energy usage for reaction, it is termed green.
Is hydrogen the perfect fuel for the future?
Referring to context economy, it means the social cycle, growth & balance structure. In the Hydrogen economy, first, we need to decide the Goals, Mission, Vision & Targets.
What do we want to achieve using Hydrogen Economy?
There are numbers and Types of Hydrogen. While addressing the issue of Green House Gas emissions, the selection of an appropriate Hydrogen production method is essential.
The current scenario of Hydrogen production from fossils sources is mainly Natural gas (96%), which is Blue Hydrogen. Many nations, having coal & crude deposits, with a small investment in basic infrastructure, are planning to Manufacture Hydrogen & export it globally.
In the case of Hydrogen generation by Water Electrolysis, the main factors are water & electricity. The electricity generation from non-renewable sources cannot be term as Green Hydrogen.
Many new start-ups planning Hydrogen generation from water electrolysis using Solar power as a source or Renewable Energy sources this is a good initiative to generate green Hydrogen.
As the world looking at Hydrogen as an alternative source to address Global Warming to cut down Green House gas emissions decrease the atmospheric temperature by 2 degrees Celsius. We need to define assure & ensure Eco-friendly Hydrogen.
Green Hydrogen in India
We must be designed & plan the right architect for the Economy. Green Hydrogen path using Agriculture waste, Biomass has enormous potential. In the country, 70% of the population belongs to the agriculture sector. The farmer is a key part of the economy.
Farmers don’t have any guidance on what to grow? What to make? where to sell the products? what price they will get for their goods.
The land, manpower natural resources are ready for Agricultural production. Nobody thinks & planning for Agriculture & Farmers. Farmers are burning Biomass on their farms due to a lack of knowledge. The large population of the nation is busy searching for opportunities. In other words, they are busy doing Nothing.
Now we need to think, plan to design the proper architecture of the human life cycle. Need to destroy the global warming issue and construct an Eco-friendly ecosystem & complete life cycle. The hydrogen fuel economy is part & parcel of the Human Ecosystem. It must be architecture systematically, Health, mental, physical, economic, environmental, symbiosis aspects too.
Green Hydrogen the fuel of the future
We need to monitor the Hydrogen Manufacturing source. Cross-check to assure the origin from a green source only. Otherwise, in the name of Hydrogen, we are getting the same stuff with new wrappers. In other words, without knowledge & moderation, we will kill our ecosystem.
Important points need to address
- The hydrogen economy is a large spectrum. It’s related to the source of raw material, production, consumption, distribution, environmental aspects and Employment generation. This need to design with proper Architects.
- As a Hydrogen economy, Hydrogen production, storage, supply chain and consumption need to fulfill the needs of Human beings. Even it’s supply economics need to allow Hydrogen as a commodity to flow freely in global markets.
- Hydrogen Economy is the social domain. It must include Education, Farmers, Industries, Health experts, Economist, Technocrats, Citizens & Government.
Farmers, Agriculture, Clean energy are the real key ingredients of the Hydrogen Economy. The Employment generation and balance Ecosystem play a vital role in the GDP growth of any Nation.
Do read Articles on Biochar and about Author Abhijeet Shirke
