Is hydrogen energy renewable? If so then what are some of the hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages? Well, to begin I guess we first have to figure out what Hydrogen is as it’s the basic word around which the whole article revolves around. Hydrogen is the most abundant and lightest element in the universe, thus there is a lot to be said for hydrogen fuel. Rarely found in pure form on Earth, it can be synthesized by splitting nearly limitless water molecules with renewable energy, leaving only oxygen as a by-product.
What is Hydrogen? What is Hydrogen Energy?
Hydrogen can be found in abundance in everything living here on Earth, including water, plants, animals, and, of course, humans. However, despite its prevalence in almost all molecules of living things, it is extremely rare as a gas, accounting for less than one part per million by volume. Natural gas, nuclear power, biogas, and renewable energy sources like the sun and wind can all contribute to the production of hydrogen.
Hydrogen energy is the generation of energy from hydrogen and/or compounds containing hydrogen, with the goal of meeting the world’s current and future energy demands in a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly manner. Energy generation, storage, and distribution; electricity, heat, and cooling for buildings and families; industry, transportation, and feedstock manufacture are just some of the areas where the world is currently experiencing the dawn of hydrogen energy. As the world moves away from its reliance on finite fossil fuels, the engineering and energy technologies of the 21st century will be defined by their emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. In order to completely execute the usage of hydrogen energy technologies, this article examines cutting-edge technological choices for hydrogen generation and addresses techniques and prospects of its utilization in the primary energy sectors. For the first time, the prospect of finding and harvesting natural hydrogen on Earth long thought to be non-existent is revealed and investigated in order to better comprehend possible geological interpretations that could lead to future activities of sustainable and perennial fuel. After this let’s finally learn about hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages.
Hydrogen Energy Advantages and Disadvantages
Hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages are discussed below-
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Some businesses are looking to hydrogen fuel cell technology as a way to replace internal combustion engines in forklifts without increasing pollution levels. | Although hydrogen fuel cells produce no hazardous by-products when running, the generation of hydrogen fuel does. Hydrogen power is almost energy neutral because its generation requires almost as much energy as it provides. |
| Operating hydrogen fuel cells does not result in any CO2 emissions, regardless of whether or not their manufacturing was done in a carbon-free manner. This makes them preferable to combustion engine cars, which can release harmful levels of carbon monoxide into the air and can’t be used indoors unless adequate ventilation is provided. | Hydrogen can also be collected from water and separated from the oxygen molecule through an electrical current in a process called electrolysis. |
| Instead of having to change out a massive, heavy lead acid battery when it needs to be charged, hydrogen fuel cells only require a simple three-minute refueling operation. | This electrical current can originate from anywhere, but most power plants in use today are fuelled by natural gas. |
| Hydrogen fuel cell forklift refueling has advantages over propane forklift refilling. Hydrogen fuel cells have a higher energy density than propane cylinders, allowing hydrogen-powered equipment to run for longer periods of time between refills. | The only method to use hydrogen fuel cell power without producing carbon dioxide emissions is to create electricity for the electrolysis process using solar or wind power, neither of which are readily available in all parts of the world. |
| Since their energy densities are so comparable, hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries are both excellent options for continuously operating businesses that need their machinery to endure an entire shift. | Hydrogen fuel cells are more expensive to operate than other energy sources because of the complexity of producing hydrogen fuel. Fleet managers must weigh the huge labor savings of hydrogen over lead acid against the costs of hydrogen fuel and infrastructure before deciding which energy source to integrate into material handling equipment. |
| Hydrogen is one of the most common substances on Earth, yet in its bound state, it cannot be used as a source of energy unless it is first separated from its chemical partners. | |
| Reforming natural gas into pure hydrogen is a typical method used to isolate the gas. A carbon-free energy source is counterproductive because of the high cost and carbon dioxide emissions of this process. |
With this, you have learned about hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages. Now, it’s time to further explore what is hydrogen energy used for.
What is Hydrogen Energy Used For?
After learning about hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages, let’s see what is hydrogen energy used for. The answer to the question that what is hydrogen energy used for is as follows,
1. A Wide Variety of Manufacturing Techniques Rely on Hydrogen.
Industrial uses for hydrogen include petroleum and metals processing, fertilizer, and food processing. To reduce the fuels’ sulfur content, oil refineries use hydrogen.
2. NASA Uses Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Interplanetary Travel.
In the 1950s, liquid hydrogen was originally used by NASA as a rocket fuel, and by the 1970s, hydrogen fuel cells were being used to power the space shuttle’s electrical systems.
3. Electrons are Created by Hydrogen Fuel Cells.
The combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a fuel cell results in the generation of electrical current. A battery-like electrochemical cell is used to conduct the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which results in electricity, water, and a tiny quantity of heat.
The large variety of fuel cells available means they can be used for a variety of purposes. Portable electronics like laptops, mobile phones, and even military equipment can all be powered by tiny fuel cells. Power grids, individual buildings in need of backup or emergency power, and remote locations without access to power networks can all benefit from electricity generated by large fuel cells.
4. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Plants
Hydrogen is gaining momentum as a potential fuel source for power plants. Several power plants have indicated their intention to convert to using a fuel blend of natural gas and hydrogen in combustion gas turbines. The gas-fired combustion turbine of the 485-megawatt (MW) Long Ridge Energy Generation Project facility in Ohio will initially operate on a fuel blend of 95% natural gas and 5% hydrogen, with a long-term goal of using 100% green hydrogen derived from renewable resources. Intermountain Power Agency, for instance, plans to convert a coal-fired power plant in Utah to a combined-cycle gas-fired facility that will use up to 30% hydrogen at first and 100% green hydrogen by 2040.
5. Automotive Hydrogen Fuelling
Under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, hydrogen is recognized as a potential replacement fuel for automobiles. Hydrogen’s potential for domestic production and the fuel cell’s potential for high efficiency have sparked interest in its use as an alternative transportation fuel, and these vehicles’ fuel cells are what generate the zero-emissions status. Comparing a fuel cell to a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, the former maybe two to three times more efficient. Fuel cells are more efficient than internal combustion engines at using hydrogen, however, burning hydrogen produces nitrogen oxide emissions. Light-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles from multiple manufacturers are for sale or lease in California, where public hydrogen fuelling stations are available. Limited test vehicles are also made accessible to businesses with hydrogen-fuelling infrastructure.
The number of hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road today is small due to the high cost of fuel cells and the scarcity of hydrogen vehicle fuelling facilities. As consumers are unlikely to purchase hydrogen-powered vehicles in the absence of readily available hydrogen refueling stations, and businesses are unlikely to construct such stations in the absence of customers driving hydrogen-powered vehicles, the number of hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road is currently limited. Hence that is what is hydrogen energy used for.
Also See: Top 3 Green Energy Stocks in India
What are Hydrogen Fuel Cells?
Apart from learning about hydrogen energy advantages and disadvantages, it’s equally important to know about hydrogen fuel cells. To generate power, hydrogen fuel cells harness the element’s chemical energy. It is a green source of power because the only by-products are electricity, heat, and water. Fuel cells can be used to power anything from a full power plant to a laptop, making them useful in a wide range of settings.
Improved efficiency and decreased pollution are only two of the many benefits that fuel cells offer over more conventional combustion-based solutions. Hydrogen fuel cells are clean since they do not contribute to global warming or release harmful pollutants into the air. Since fuel cells have fewer moving parts than combustion technologies, they operate in relative silence. After this, let’s see how is hydrogen fuel made.
How is Hydrogen Fuel Made?
To know how is hydrogen fuel made the following points are discussed,
1. Bioseparation of Water
Hydrogen from water is produced as a by-product of the photosynthesis process in some photosynthetic microorganisms. Hydrogen-evolving enzyme systems are oxygen-sensitive, thus photobiological hydrogen-generating technology must find a way to combat this. Researchers are working to solve this problem by searching for oxygen-tolerant naturally occurring organisms and developing novel genetic variants of the organisms so that they can maintain hydrogen production even in the presence of oxygen. In addition, scientists are working on a new setup that will use a metabolic switch (sulfur deprivation) to alternate between algal cells’ photosynthetic development phase and their hydrogen generation phase.
2. Fermentation
Researchers are working on pre-treatment technologies to turn lignocellulosic biomass into sugar-rich feedstocks for direct fermentation into hydrogen, ethanol, and other high-value compounds. The search continues for a consortium of Clostridium that can directly ferment hemicellulose to hydrogen. Bio-prospecting for efficient cellulolytic microorganisms like Clostridium thermocellum, which can ferment crystalline cellulose directly to hydrogen, is another field of study with the potential to reduce feedstock prices. The antibiotic resistance and simplicity of genetic transformation of a candidate model cellulolytic bacterium will be evaluated after its identification. In order to increase hydrogen yield, future fermentation efforts will concentrate on creating methods to breed mutants that are selectively inhibited from making waste acids and solvents.
3. Waste and Biomass Conversion
Agricultural residues like peanut shells, consumer wastes like plastics and waste grease, and biomass farmed expressly for energy needs can all be pyrolyzed or gasified to produce hydrogen. Bio-oil, the liquid by-product of biomass pyrolysis, comprises a variety of components that can be extracted and refined into useful chemicals and fuels, including hydrogen. Specific study interests include the reformation of pyrolysis streams and the creation and testing of fluidizable catalysts.
4. Aquatic Molecule Dissociation by Photo Electrochemistry
Using sunlight to directly split water into hydrogen and oxygen is the cleanest technique to make hydrogen. In order to create photoelectrochemical (PEC) light-harvesting systems that generate enough power to split water and are stable in a water/electrolyte environment, the photovoltaic industry’s multijunction cell technology is being put to use. The PEC system converts sunlight into hydrogen at a rate of 12.4% lower heating value with no need for electrolyzers, saving both money and space. More effective, cost-effective materials and systems that are resistant to corrosion in an aqueous environment are the focus of current research.
5. Water Distillation Using Solar Energy
The High-Flux Solar Furnace reactor is used to concentrate solar energy and produces temperatures in the 1,000 to 2,000 degree Celsius range. Hydrogen can only be created by thermochemical reaction cycles at extremely high temperatures. An innovative method for green hydrogen synthesis is the use of solar-driven thermochemical reactions at high temperatures and fluxes. Extremely high reaction rates at these high temperatures result in extremely quick reaction rates, which greatly improve production rates and more than make up for the intermittent character of the solar resource.
6. Eco-Friendly Electrolysis
Photovoltaics, wind, biomass, hydro, and geothermal are just a few of the renewable energy sources that can supply our country with clean, renewable power. However, due to daily and seasonal variations, renewable energy sources must be backed up by energy storage or a hybrid system. One solution is to make hydrogen through the electrolysis splitting with an electric current of water and to utilize the hydrogen in a fuel cell to produce electricity during periods of low power generation or peak demand, or to use the hydrogen in fuel cell cars.
The electrolysis of water into hydrogen is being studied. Energy Laboratories performs research and testing on integrated electrolysis systems with the goal of reducing capital costs and improving performance. So, that is how do hydrogen fuel cells work.
Also Read: Top 30+ Renewable Energy Companies in India
How Do Hydrogen Fuel Cells Work?
To know how do hydrogen fuel cells work, well a chemical reaction takes place inside hydrogen fuel cells to produce power. There are two electrodes, or halves, in every fuel cell: a negative anode and a positive cathode. Electrodes are the sites of the chemical reaction that results in the production of electricity; an electrolyte transports charged particles between them, and a catalyst speeds up the reactions.
Although hydrogen is the primary fuel source in a hydrogen fuel cell, oxygen is also required for cell operation. Hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water as a by-product of the fuel cell’s energy generation, which is one of the cell’s primary benefits because it reduces pollution. Fuel cells that just consume hydrogen do not produce any carbon dioxide.
Hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, biogas, or methanol can also be used in other fuel cell systems. Fuel cells are more efficient than conventional power plants because they generate energy through an electrochemical reaction rather than burning. Using the cell’s waste heat for other purposes, such as heating or cooling, is an efficient way to combine the benefits of both heat and electricity generation.
These steps provide a brief overview of how a fuel cell operates:
- Hydrogen is introduced at the anode, and oxygen is supplied at the cathode.
- In the anode, hydrogen atoms are split into protons and electrons.
- Electricity is generated when electrons are driven through a circuit while positively charged protons travel through an electrolyte and through a membrane to the cathode.
- After making their way through the circuit and the membrane, the electrons and protons react with oxygen at the cathode, releasing heat and water as a by-product.
- Since individual fuel cells are insufficient for powering either a modest electronic item or a huge power plant, these cells are stacked together to generate adequate energy for their intended purpose.
Fuel cells are similar to batteries in that they store and release energy, but they don’t deplete as batteries do and can keep on producing electricity so long as their fuel supply (in this case, hydrogen) is there.
Due to its simplistic design (just an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane), fuel cells are both silent and dependable in operation. That is the simple answer to how do hydrogen fuel cells work.
Also See: Germany Will Use 80 to 100 Percent Renewable Energy by 2050
Is Hydrogen Energy Renewable?
Is hydrogen energy renewable? Hydrogen fuel cells are a sustainable energy option due to the universal abundance of hydrogen. Even while there are some worries about the usage of fossil fuels for hydrogen extraction and the possible carbon footprint associated with hydrogen transportation, for example, they are still a clean source of energy production.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology, however, has the potential to be an entirely renewable and sustainable power source, with the only by-products being heated (which may be used elsewhere) and water.
Furthermore, as long as there is a consistent supply of fuel and oxygen, fuel cells do not deplete or need to be recharged as batteries do.
Recommended: Solar Power per Square Meter Calculator
