Hydrogen – energy source for a sustainable future
Hydrogen is considered one of the most promising energy sources for a sustainable future. The areas of application in industry, mobility, commercial vehicles, domestic and local transport are diverse and promising. The initiative for hydrogen is slowly gaining momentum on the part of politics, research and industry, and not without reason.
Hydrogen – A versatile energy source
Hydrogen (H2) is a colorless, odorless and extremely light gas that leaves only water as an emission during combustion or in a fuel cell. Due to these properties and the high energy density, hydrogen is seen as a key element for the energy transition and as a potential enabler for a climate-neutral future.
Hydrogen as a clean energy source
Hydrogen (H2) is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe. As an energy source, it can be produced in a CO2-neutral manner, especially if it is obtained by electrolysis with electricity from renewable sources.
Wolfgang A. Haggenmueller
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Is hydrogen dangerous?
Hydrogen is a non-toxic gas that has neither color nor odor. However, it is highly flammable, and high safety standards must be maintained when handling it to avoid hazards such as explosions or hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen is no more dangerous than conventional energy sources such as natural gas or oil, but it is important to keep it away from ignition sources and to take measures against electrostatic charge.
At high concentrations, inhaling hydrogen can lead to complications ranging from movement disorders to loss of consciousness and the risk of suffocation. However, these complications are due to the lack of oxygen, not the hydrogen itself. Hydrogen is also not self-igniting and does not pose a risk of cancer.
In terms of the environment, hydrogen has fundamentally environmentally friendly properties. Combustion in engines can produce emissions, but these are very low or negligible if the combustion is properly directed. The use of hydrogen in low-temperature fuel cells, such as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), can completely eliminate pollutant emissions.
Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energies such as wind or solar energy.
This process is particularly environmentally friendly, as no greenhouse gases are released.
Production of hydrogen
Hydrogen can be produced in several ways:
- Electrolysis: Here, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of electricity. If the electricity used comes from renewable energy sources, it is called green hydrogen.
- Steam reforming: In this process, natural gas is converted, but CO2 is produced. This hydrogen is called grey hydrogen. When the CO2 is captured and stored, it is called blue hydrogen.
Applications of hydrogen
Hydrogen can be used in various areas:
- Energy storage: Hydrogen can store excess energy from renewable sources and release it again when needed.
- Mobility: Fuel cell vehicles use hydrogen to generate electrical energy, which then drives an electric motor. There are already several models of cars and trucks powered by hydrogen, and the technology is constantly evolving.
- Industry: In the steel and chemical industries, hydrogen can be used as a raw material or reducing agent.
Fuel Cell Technology
Fuel cells convert the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy, with water being the only emitting material.
They are key components in the development of hydrogen vehicles and can be used in a wide range of applications, from motor vehicles to stationary energy sources.
Storage and transport
Hydrogen can be stored in gaseous or liquid form and transported through pipelines or tankers.
Advantages of hydrogen
- Environmentally friendly: The use of hydrogen does not produce any harmful emissions.
- High energy density: Hydrogen has a very high energy density compared to other energy sources.
- Flexibility: Hydrogen can be stored and transported in various forms.
Economic aspects
The cost of producing and using hydrogen is still relatively high, but as technology advances and scaling up, it is expected to fall.
Challenges and risks
- Infrastructure: Building a comprehensive infrastructure for the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen is cost-intensive and technically challenging.
- Cost: The cost of hydrogen is currently even higher than that of fossil fuels, although it is expected to decrease as technology advances.
- Safety: As a highly flammable gas, hydrogen requires careful handling and storage.
- Industrialization: With increasing applications, not only the cost of producing hydrogen, but also the equipment and components must decrease through industrialization and scaling. To this end, it is necessary to develop appropriate technologies, systems, processes and components
Future prospects
Hydrogen has the potential to play a key role in a climate-neutral economy, especially in sectors that are difficult to decarbonize.
International cooperation and the development of standards are crucial for promoting the hydrogen economy.
Research and development in the field of hydrogen technologies is progressing rapidly. With the increasing focus on renewable energy and the reduction of CO2 emissions, hydrogen is likely to play an increasingly important role in our energy mix.
Hydrogen projects
There are currently several significant hydrogen projects in Germany and Europe, originating from both research and industry.
Germany: The German government has selected 62 large-scale hydrogen projects worthy of funding to be supported under the EU’s “Important Projects of Common European Interest” (IPCEI) programme. These projects cover the entire hydrogen market value chain, including generation, infrastructure, industrial use and mobility. The selected projects for generation plants include plants with over 2 GW of electrolysis capacity for the production of green hydrogen.
Europe: There are a variety of projects that span the entire continent, from Hammerfest to Sicily. These include developments such as an import terminal for green ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in Rotterdam, which could be operational in 2026, and a partnership between E.on and Fortescue Future Industries to generate 5 million euros annually.
WAVE-H2 is an innovative research platform in Germany that focuses on the decarbonization of industry through hydrogen technologies. The platform is operated by the University of Stuttgart and aims to create a versatile, energy-flexible and networked H2 industrial research platform. Here are some key points about WAVE-H2:
Research and development: WAVE-H2 focuses on the optimization of hydrogen production and utilization processes, the design and integration of hydrogen systems in industrial applications, and the analysis of the performance and efficiency of hydrogen plants.
Industrial cooperation: The platform offers services to industrial customers and supports companies in the further development of hydrogen technologies.
Education and innovation: WAVE-H2 also serves as an educational center that imparts knowledge about the use of hydrogen to students and companies. New local projects and companies are promoted to create jobs and train skilled workers for the future.
Integration into energy systems: An important aspect of WAVE-H2 is the integration of hydrogen into energy systems to develop efficient energy flow optimization and bivalent use technologies1.
The platform is part of the German government’s hydrogen strategy and contributes to achieving climate goals by providing sustainable solutions for industry1. For more information, you can visit the official website of WAVE-H2.
These projects are part of a larger trend towards decarbonisation and the use of hydrogen as a clean energy source. They aim to create a robust infrastructure for the hydrogen economy in Europe and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in various sectors, including steel and chemicals.
The reference factory H2 is a project of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU), which positions itself as a pacesetter for the industrial mass production of electrolyzers and fuel cells1. The aim is to create a value-added community of industry and science that will work together on the rapid upscaling of efficient and scalable production of hydrogen systems.
Since January 2023, industrial companies have been contributing their core competencies to the production of hydrogen systems and developing them further in cooperation with Fraunhofer IWU and Fraunhofer ENAS1. The H2 reference factory offers a technology toolkit with various production modules, process variants, machines and systems that are necessary for the production of hydrogen systems2. It enables companies to enter the business field of hydrogen system production in a risk-minimized, faster and more targeted manner.
Hydrogen mobility
There are already vehicles that run on hydrogen. Here is a list of manufacturers and their hydrogen vehicle models available in Germany:
- Toyota Mirai: A four-seater sedan with a range of 500 km and two hydrogen tanks.
- Honda Clarity Fuel Cell: A model that is part of Honda’s Clarity family, which also includes electric and plug-in hybrid variants.
- Hyundai Nexo: The successor to the Hyundai ix35 FCEV, with a range of 756 km and three hydrogen tanks.
- Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL: A model from Mercedes-Benz that also relies on hydrogen fuel cell technology.
- BMW Hydrogen 7: An older model from BMW that was produced as part of a limited test program.
- Pininfarina H2 Speed: A concept car based on hydrogen fuel cell technology.
- Ford Airstream: A hydrogen-powered concept car.
- BMW hydrogen X5: Another concept car from BMW.
And there are also commercial vehicles that are powered by hydrogen. Here are just a few examples of manufacturers and models:
- MAN Engines: MAN has experience with hydrogen engines and is working on solutions for mobile and stationary applications. Since 2021, there has been a truck prototype from MAN powered by a hydrogen combustion engine.
- Hyundai XCient Fuel Cell: This is the first mass-produced hydrogen-electric truck to receive road approval in Germany. The XCient Fuel Cell has a range of around 400 kilometres.
- Stellantis platforms: Light commercial vehicles with fuel cells are offered for the Stellantis platforms, including models such as Citroën ë-Jumpy and ë-Jumper, Fiat Professional E-Scudo and E-Ducato, as well as Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro.
- KEYOU is a company specializing in the decarbonization of commercial vehicle fleets through hydrogen technology. They offer solutions to convert existing diesel vehicles into zero-emission hydrogen vehicles. With the KEYOU-inside system , customers can efficiently and economically convert their vehicles to hydrogen operation without compromising performance, capacity or range. The company has also launched a pioneering program where customers have the opportunity to test an 18-ton truck with a KEYOU-inside hydrogen engine in real-world conditions. This program aims to prove that the technology is not only emission-free, but also roadworthy. In addition, KEYOU offers a pay-per-use model for H2 Mobility as a Service, which allows customers to use the vehicle and fuel as a complete package. This model is to be introduced in particular after the introduction of the CO2 toll in Germany on 1. January 2024, as it helps to avoid additional costs for diesel trucks of 200 euros per ton of CO2.
Public transport
Public transport is also called upon and strives to make itself more environmentally friendly and reduce emissions. There are already hydrogen-powered buses and trains, and several manufacturers are active in this area.
Hydrogen buses
- Solaris Bus & Coach: Solaris is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of city and intercity buses and also offers hydrogen buses.
- MAN Engines: The MAN Group has been researching hydrogen drives for decades and has already developed hydrogen buses.
- Caetanobus: This Portuguese manufacturer supplies hydrogen buses whose fuel cells come from Toyota.
Hydrogen-powered trains
- Coradia iLint: The world’s first hydrogen train fleet consists of 27 Alstom Coradia iLint trains. These trains will be refuelled with hydrogen at Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt am Main. The Coradia iLint achieves an impressive range of 1,000 kilometers and emits only water vapor.
- Mireo Plus H: Deutsche Bahn and Siemens have developed the Mireo Plus H, a hydrogen train that produces no emissions. This train has a range of around 1,000 kilometres, reaches a speed of up to 160 km/h and can be refuelled quickly. A single Mireo Plus H saves up to 45,000 tons of CO₂ over its 30-year service life compared to car journeys.
- Locally emission-free: Hydrogen trains are a particularly climate-friendly propulsion technology because they run on green hydrogen and only release water vapor and heat into the environment. In addition, they are almost silent and thus protect the residents along the routes.
Hydrogen technology has the potential to make local and rail transport more sustainable and to support the phase-out of diesel drives. The development of hydrogen trains and buses is an important step towards climate-neutral mobility of the future.
H2 in aviation – The fuel cell learns to fly. Prof. Kallo is an aviation pioneer in the field of sustainable and emission-free air traffic and a professor at the University of Ulm. His company H2FLY GmbH develops hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for aircraft and is a world leader in the development and testing of such systems. Among other things, H2FLY built the world’s first hydrogen-electric passenger aircraft, which took off in 2016, demonstrating both the feasibility and potential of this technology for the aviation of the future.
These are all examples of vehicles using hydrogen fuel cell technology to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional combustion engines. Even though many of them are currently still in the trial or development stage, there is a clear dynamic in the market. This also includes the creation of the appropriate infrastructure.
The infrastructure for hydrogen filling stations in Germany is constantly evolving. There are currently 92 opened H2 filling stations in Germany. The basic network for 700 bar refuelling, which is mainly used for passenger cars, is expected to grow to 100 stations in the next few months. This would enable over 6 million motorists to switch to hydrogen without having to take major detours.
For commercial vehicles that refuel at 350 bar , there are already some hydrogen stations and more are being set up, especially where commercial vehicle demand is expected in the short term1. The German government also plans to expand the hydrogen core network to 9,700 km in order to reach all federal states and become part of a European network.
The future of hydrogen mobility is promising and is influenced by various factors.
- National Hydrogen Strategy in Germany: The Federal Government has adopted a National Hydrogen Strategy that promotes the use of hydrogen as a climate-friendly energy source. This strategy lays the foundation for investments, cooperation with international partners and the expansion of the necessary infrastructure.
- Infrastructure and filling stations: Germany already has a good network of hydrogen filling stations, which is being further expanded. In the next three years, the existing 100 filling stations are to be expanded to 400. This is important in order to increase the acceptance of hydrogen vehicles.
- Areas of application: Hydrogen is particularly suitable for applications with longer ranges, such as Heavy-duty transport, inland waterway vessels and trains on secondary routes. These vehicles can be operated locally CO₂-free with green hydrogen that comes from renewable energy sources.
- Technology development: Technologies such as fuel cells and electrolysers must be further optimised. Standards must be set and the infrastructure, including the distribution grid and filling stations, must be expanded.
- International cooperation: Germany is working closely with European and international partners to advance hydrogen mobility worldwide. Import strategies and cooperation are crucial, as the demand for hydrogen cannot be met alone.
Conclusion
Overall, hydrogen will play an important role in future mobility, industry and energy supply, especially when it comes to achieving the desired climate goals and finding sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. These developments are part of efforts to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. In summary, hydrogen is a potentially safe, economical, and environmentally friendly energy carrier if handled properly.
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