Background
Hydrogen is a first-order energy vector on the way to energy transition, however, three fundamental elements are holding back its takeoff:
- Huge infrastructures cost for hydrogen transport from the point of generation to the consumption
- High generation cost in systems without emissions (minority production)
- CO2 emissions in lower cost generation systems
The elimination of these bottlenecks would undoubtedly be a breakthrough for the use of hydrogen as an energy vector and would accelerate the path of the energy transition.
Challenge description
The advantages of hydrogen as an energy vector are presented below:
- Support for sustainable mobility, through the transport decarbonization. In addition to the advantage of the high efficiency of the electric vehicles (VE), it is necessary to add the speed of fuel loading and a high autonomy, which would mitigate the current disadvantages of the VE.
- Promotion of the renewable energy system, by providing an efficient means of energy storage, allowing the large-scale integration of renewable power in the energy system.
- Decarbonization in industrial uses and generation of clean heat and power for buildings. For industrial processes difficult to electrify, because they require a high thermal level. The improvement in the efficiency of buildings is a priority objective in developed countries.
- Supply of “clean” raw material for the industry. The refineries and the petrochemical industry are big consumers of hydrogen.
However, all these advantages are blurred by the inconveniences listed in the previous point.
The role of hydrogen in sustainable mobility and energy storage, is in clear competition with the rapid improvement in batteries, so the advance in the development of this technology will significantly influence the use of hydrogen in the mentioned applications.
The development of a technology capable of overcoming the current challenges of the generation and use of hydrogen would have an extraordinary impact and would suppose a huge boost in the advancement of this fuel, while attracting the necessary investment for the development of a new energy model.
What is looking for?
Any type of hydrogen generation technology that allows to re-launch its role as an energy vector, becoming a key element of the energy transition. To achieve this goal, it is needed:
- that the generation cost will be much lower than the current standards with existing technologies with no CO2 emission (Electrolysis)
- that is compatible with generation in small facilities that can supply hydrogen at the consumption point, without the need for transportation (distributed generation)
- a “zero-emission” technology, as opposed to the emissions of the most efficient current systems (reformed steam natural gas).
