Climate Change is a big concern now more than ever. Which means actions are needed to be taken. To tackle this, 136 countries have come together to set net-zero targets. These countries have 90% of the global GDP and 85% of the population. To meet the net Zero Targets, the decarbonisation of all sectors of the economy will be required. So, a shift to the use of Green Hydrogen is needed. As this particular gas is produced from renewable energy sources and is not harmful to the environment, which makes it is a helpful resource to support net-zero targets.
What is Green Hydrogen?
Green Hydrogen is a form of energy obtained from renewable resources. This means that it is sustainable and has a zero pollution index. Renewable energies, such as wind or solar are used in the process of electrolysis, which generates Green Hydrogen. Electrolysis is the process where an electrical current is used to break down the water molecule into oxygen and hydrogen by electrodes.
The hydrogen is usually stored in specific tanks, which, when required to be turned into energy, is directed into a fuel cell. The oxygen from the air ties itself with hydrogen which helps to obtain electricity. Water is the only by-product of this process and there is zero Carbon dioxide emitted. This makes it, a sustainable procedure.
Benefits of Green Hydrogen:
- Sustainable: As mentioned above, Green Hydrogen is produced through a sustainable process, using renewable resources, due to which no harmful substances are emitted into the environment. It is also a good alternative to fossil fuels.
- Versatile: Green Hydrogen has a lot more useful than what is usually told. It can easily be transformed into electricity and used for commercial or industrial uses. This gas can also replace fossil fuels. Fossil Fuels are already used in a lot of electricity production and also the transportation sector, which makes it a major producer of greenhouse gases. According to research, the world had emitted 6 billion tonnes of Carbon dioxide alone from fossil fuels by 1950. This increased even further by 1990 when the emissions reached up to 22 billion tonnes. This is why Green Hydrogen is a better option since it has zero carbon dioxide emissions.
- Storage: Green Hydrogen can be stored in liquid form or gaseous form, using fuel cell technology. It is easy to store Hydrogen which means it can be used for other purposes, even if it is required immediately after production.
Disadvantages of Green Hydrogen:
- Safety Concerns: Hydrogen had many useful properties but at the same time it can also be a threat as it is highly flammable, colourless and odourless. This means it is difficult to detect it. That can make it difficult to prevent leakage and fire.
- High Cost: Electrolysis is an expensive procedure, and since it is required to produce Hydrogen, it means it can be a costly process.
- Transportation Difficulty: Hydrogen is less energy-dense than gasoline and also has a low volumetric energy density, meaning it is lighter than helium. This makes it difficult to make it transportable through shipping containers or pipelines.
- High energy consumption: Green Hydrogen requires more energy to be produced, even more than other fuels.
