Hydrogen, which is colorless and odorless, is an energy carrier.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, it is possible for hydrogen to store as well as deliver usable energy.
Hydrogen is required to be manufactured from compounds which contain it and it does not typically "exist by itself in nature", added the DOE.
There are multiple methods that can be used for production of hydrogen from multiple sources including fossil fuels, solar power and geothermal sources. The processes or methods include electrolytic processes, thermochemical processes and biological processes, says the DOE.
Extracting hydrogen from sources that are renewable is the biggest challenge so far when considering production of hydrogen. "Right now, most hydrogen is made from fossil fuels," Bruce Logan, from Pennsylvania State University, said.
"What we're doing is taking primarily natural gas, making that hydrogen and then using that hydrogen," Logan added. "So we have benefits from using the hydrogen but it still relies upon fossil fuels."
From the view point of the environment, there is much support for hydrogen even though at the moment fossil fuel is the primary source of the gas. Hydrogen has been identified as an energy carrier with "great potential for clean, efficient power in stationary, portable and transport applications" by the European Commission.
Similar optimistic views were expressed by Penn State's Bruce Logan. "If we start with water, and we electrolyse water and … use some renewable energy source to do that, then we can use the hydrogen and … end up with water when we're done," he said. "It's a water to water cycle and we don't need to burn all that air like we do when we burn a fossil fuel," he added.
But what exactly does one mean by the concept of "green hydrogen".
"It's hydrogen stemming from green sources," Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, secretary general of Hydrogen Europe, had said earlier this year.
"So if you produce energy from wind or solar, turn it into electricity and then turn it into hydrogen, this is green hydrogen," he added.
The energy scenario can be transformed through the varied applications of hydrogen. According to the DOE, compared to a traditional engine that is internally combustible and fueled by gasoline, a fuel cell is "two to three times more efficient". A fuel cell is one where electricity is produced from the chemical energy in hydrogen.
A number of vehicles all around the world are already making use of hydrogen. For example, the Scottish city of Aberdeen currently operates a fleet of buses that are run by energy from hydrogen based fuel cells. The aim of the project is to reduce the emissions at the city centers and enhance the quality of air as the fleet of 10 hydrogen fueled buses carry and ferry residents of the city to their destinations within the city.
"They're a very good fit for us because we have, like many other cities … air quality issues," Barney Crockett, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, said.
(Source:www.cnbc.com)
According to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, it is possible for hydrogen to store as well as deliver usable energy.
Hydrogen is required to be manufactured from compounds which contain it and it does not typically "exist by itself in nature", added the DOE.
There are multiple methods that can be used for production of hydrogen from multiple sources including fossil fuels, solar power and geothermal sources. The processes or methods include electrolytic processes, thermochemical processes and biological processes, says the DOE.
Extracting hydrogen from sources that are renewable is the biggest challenge so far when considering production of hydrogen. "Right now, most hydrogen is made from fossil fuels," Bruce Logan, from Pennsylvania State University, said.
"What we're doing is taking primarily natural gas, making that hydrogen and then using that hydrogen," Logan added. "So we have benefits from using the hydrogen but it still relies upon fossil fuels."
From the view point of the environment, there is much support for hydrogen even though at the moment fossil fuel is the primary source of the gas. Hydrogen has been identified as an energy carrier with "great potential for clean, efficient power in stationary, portable and transport applications" by the European Commission.
Similar optimistic views were expressed by Penn State's Bruce Logan. "If we start with water, and we electrolyse water and … use some renewable energy source to do that, then we can use the hydrogen and … end up with water when we're done," he said. "It's a water to water cycle and we don't need to burn all that air like we do when we burn a fossil fuel," he added.
But what exactly does one mean by the concept of "green hydrogen".
"It's hydrogen stemming from green sources," Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, secretary general of Hydrogen Europe, had said earlier this year.
"So if you produce energy from wind or solar, turn it into electricity and then turn it into hydrogen, this is green hydrogen," he added.
The energy scenario can be transformed through the varied applications of hydrogen. According to the DOE, compared to a traditional engine that is internally combustible and fueled by gasoline, a fuel cell is "two to three times more efficient". A fuel cell is one where electricity is produced from the chemical energy in hydrogen.
A number of vehicles all around the world are already making use of hydrogen. For example, the Scottish city of Aberdeen currently operates a fleet of buses that are run by energy from hydrogen based fuel cells. The aim of the project is to reduce the emissions at the city centers and enhance the quality of air as the fleet of 10 hydrogen fueled buses carry and ferry residents of the city to their destinations within the city.
"They're a very good fit for us because we have, like many other cities … air quality issues," Barney Crockett, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, said.
(Source:www.cnbc.com)
