In the face of the global climate emergency, the transition towards sustainable energy sources it is now an urgent necessity that affects not only Italy but the entire world. In this context, thehydrogen emerges as one of the most interesting energy vectors to address the challenge of decarbonisation.
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It is, in fact, an incredibly abundant element in the universe, and it has a almost unlimited potential of use. Its characteristics also make it particularly versatile: it is light, easily storable and above all efficient. Its combustion or its use in fuel cells, then, does not generate emissions direct emissions of pollutants or greenhouse gases, helping to reduce environmental impact.
In conclusion, it can be stated that hydrogen is not only a safe but also highly efficient energy carrier, which allows it to play a central role also in business contexts. Comau's Hydrogen Robotics, for example, allows you to obtain excellent results by exploiting renewable energy and, correlatively, to reduce the impact you have on the environment.
What is hydrogen and how is it obtained?
As mentioned above, hydrogen can be defined as a carrier, capable of storing and subsequently making available large amounts of energy, without generating CO2 during combustion.
It is the simplest element in the entire Solar System, and also the most abundant in nature. However, hydrogen is rarely available in the free state, since it is usually linked to other chemical elements, as in the case of water (H2O) or hydrocarbons (CH₄). To use it as an energy source, you need separate it through complex processes. The methods of producing hydrogen are different, and determine its environmental impact.
Currently, most hydrogen is obtained through a process called methane reforming, which produces “gray” hydrogen. A more sustainable variant is “blue” hydrogen, produced through the same process, but with the capture and storage of emitted CO2. However, the future of hydrogen is closely linked to the development of the variant "Verde”, obtained from theelectrolysis of water, thanks to the use of renewable sources.
What is the potential of hydrogen for companies?
For some time now, many companies, especially large ones, have been thinking about how to decarbonise and thus achieve the NetZero, both in the medium and long term, through theuse of hydrogen.
Probably the most immediate application for hydrogen energy is inindustry heavy, which currently relies on fossil fuels to generate heat. The companies in question know very well how complex it is to obtain the heat they need to be able to work, and that is precisely why hydrogen could become a perfect solution for them. Furthermore, hydrogen could also be useful for being able to integrate renewable energy.
The latter could be converted into hydrogen during periods of excess supply and back into energy (through electrolysis) when demand increases or supply decreases. In this way, hydrogen can complement electrification by allowing the energy system to be less dependent on the grid and thus offering the necessary flexibility to get the energy system balancing, while at the same time reducing the need for peak capacity.
Article published on 13 December 2024 - 12:44
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Hydrogen is a very interesting topic, but I don't really understand how it works. I read that it is very abundant and could help the industry, but there are too many complicated processes to follow. Also, the production of gray hydrogen does not convince me at all.