If you are wondering, "Is hydrogen energy renewable?" You've come to the right spot. This article will give you some information on natural gas, green hydrogen, and electrolysis. After you have finished reading this article, you should be able come up with your own conclusions. Hydrogen as a renewable energy source has many benefits.
Green hydrogen
The global green hydrogen energy project is an effort to bring green hydrocarbons to the global energy market. The goal is to bring green hydrogen at a lower cost than $2/kg, which will decrease carbon-intensive industries' emissions. The initiative has already attracted many partners such as the Saudi clean power group ACWA Power. The Australian project developer CWP Renewables, Envision, a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, and Iberdrola and Orsted, European energy giants. Germany has also pledged EUR25million to the fund.
Natural gas
Both natural gas or hydrogen energy can be made renewable. They have their limitations, including high prices, dependence on Russian natural gases, and other drawbacks. While the government and energy companies have set goals to expand this technology, some states are also making strides towards its implementation. Los Angeles plans to transition to 100 percent renewable electricity in 2050. It is also developing solar farms and a natural gas-fired power plant that could burn renewable hydrogen.
Electrolysis
Hydrogen energy is made from water by electrolysis. It is an environmentally friendly source of energy. Water electrolysis is a well-known technology. It was first demonstrated on 1789, and it is still a very popular commercial technology. Norsk Hydro, a Norwegian hydroelectric company, installed large alkaline electrolyzers at its hydroelectric plants between 1948 and 1990. These electrolyzers produced about 70,000 kg H2/d hydrogen. Norsk Hydro & Enercon combined a 600-kW wind turbine with a 48kW electrolyzer in 2004 to create Norway’s largest wind-hydrogen facility.
Methane
Hydrogen can be produced in a variety of ways, including the steam methane reforming process. This technology does not emit any greenhouse gases and is therefore environmentally friendly. However, its potential to displace fossil fuels needs to be evaluated against other reasonable alternatives. While hydrogen does have many uses, it can only replace a small fraction of the energy currently consumed. This new technology, which is especially useful for renewable energy applications, offers many promising solutions.
Climate-neutrality
Green hydrogen, a promising energy source, is not only climate-neutral; it also helps to cut carbon emissions. It is the most abundant element in the universe and has the potential to meet our energy needs while reducing the amount of harmful carbon products produced. It can also be blended with natural gas to help power grids without the need for fossil fuels.
Prices
Although hydrogen's cost is high, the renewable energy industry is working to lower it. Using green hydrogen production technology, the separation of water molecules is done via electrolysis with renewable electricity, like wind or solar. While green hydrogen is slightly more expensive than blue hydrogen at $6 per kilogram (which is about the same price as blue hydrogen), the cost of this process will drop over time due to technological improvements and increased scale.