Hydrogen Economy

 Hydrogen is a fascinating energy carrier as its conversion to heat or power is simple and
clean. No pollutants are generated or emitted when combusted.
 A vision of an energy delivery infrastructure based on hydrogen as a carbon-free energy
carrier. Fuel cells would generate electricity from hydrogen with heat and water vapor as
byproducts.

Figure 1 Pure Hydrogen Economy Representation

Hydrogen Value Chain

Hydrogen Value Chain Descriptions

Hydrogen Production  Steam Methane Reforming: Extracts hydrogen from natural gas. (‘gray
H2’)
 Green Hydrogen: Produced using renewable energy sources for
environmental benefits.
 Electrolysis: Uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen
and oxygen. (‘green H2’)
 Biomass Gasification: Converts biomass into hydrogen.
Storage and  Storage as gas: Hydrogen can be stored as a gas.
Transportation  High-pressure tanks: Compressed hydrogen is stored in high-pressure
tanks.
 Liquefaction: Hydrogen can be liquefied at extremely low
temperatures.
 Infrastructure: Requires infrastructure like pipelines, trucks, or carriers
for transportation.
End-Use Applications  Fuel Cells: Used in electric vehicles, power generation, and industrial
processes.
 Efficiency: Fuel cells efficiently convert hydrogen into electricity with
minimal emissions (primarily water vapor).

Challenges

 High Production Costs: Green hydrogen production using renewable energy sources can be
expensive.
 Energy Losses: There are energy losses in the conversion of electricity to hydrogen and
during transportation.
 Infrastructure Investment: Building the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen production,
storage, and transportation is a substantial investment.
 Limited Hydrogen Infrastructure: The existing infrastructure for hydrogen production and
distribution is limited compared to other fuels like natural gas or gasoline.