Īt the moment, plants for producing hydrogen on a large scale are not yet competitive with traditional plants from a cost point of view. This involves systems called electrolyzers that require a certain amount of electrical energy and which therefore, in order to be sustainable, must be powered by renewable sources such as wind power or photovoltaic. There are, however, other ways to obtain hydrogen, for example through thermochemical processes, and, above all, through the electrolysis of water. Today around 95% of the hydrogen used on the Earth, most of which is used in industry, is obtained by reforming methane or through the gasification of coal, processes that generate substantial emissions of carbon dioxide but which are currently the cheapest methods available. This is why many experts believe a new energy era of hydrogen is dawning and that the age of oil is drawing to a close. The scientific and technological communities have been working for some time on making green hydrogen easier and cheaper to produce and, thanks to the enormous progress made in recent years, this goal now seems almost within reach. Only the so-called “ green hydrogen,” which is obtained by separating it from water through a process of electrolysis powered by renewable energy, is fully zero impact, without polluting emissions and without consuming precious natural resources. Given that it is not found in its pure form in nature, and producing it requires the contribution of another type of energy, hydrogen is considered an energy carrier rather than a source of energy, such as solar or wind power. To separate it from other elements found on Earth it is necessary to extract the hydrogen and this separation process requires energy and, therefore, economic, and often environmental costs. It can be found only linked to other elements, like water (molecules of hydrogen and oxygen) or in hydrocarbons (hydrogen and carbon). In spite of its abundance on Earth hydrogen does not exist naturally on its own. These are the so-called “Hard to abate” sectors, and mainly concern the industrial, aviation and maritime sectors. This is where green hydrogen can penetrate in order to achieve full decarbonization. There are, however, some end uses that have until now proved more difficult to decarbonize through direct electrification. Electrification through renewable energy will be the main – and most efficient pathway, in terms of decarbonization. Moreover, when used in fuel cells, it combines with oxygen to produce electric energy and water. Green hydrogen can, because of its characteristics, play a decisive role in a zero-emission world. It is this extraordinary element, therefore, that is the origin of the renewable energy that the Earth receives each day from the sun. Compared with conventional fuels, it has the highest energy content per unit of weight, three times greater than gasoline.īut hydrogen is also the propellant in the nuclear fusion reactions that power the stars. It consists of a two-atom molecule (H 2), which, in an atmosphere rich in oxygen like ours, burns in a similar way to methane. It forms almost 90% of the visible universe, mostly in gas form. Among the many elements that make up matter, hydrogen is the lightest and the most abundant.
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