Another Hydrogen Musing

Written By Noel Morin

Hydrogen (H2) can play a critical role in our global efforts to decarbonize several sectors - energy, transportation, food, and industrial production. There is controversy, particularly regarding feedstock (materials used for H2 production) and application (what H2 is used for).

Much is written about this topic, so I’ll take the liberty with shortcuts in this post.

Silver Buckshot

It is important to view our solutions from a systems perspective and to acknowledge that this isn’t a silver bullet. To address climate change and other existential challenges, a multi-pronged approach is needed, focusing on the root causes, balancing social and economic factors, looking out for unintended consequences, and constantly zooming in and out, balancing local and global considerations.

It is critical to consider context - location, for instance, will influence the relevance of specific renewable energy solutions. In some locales, hydroelectric generation is not feasible; in others, it can play a significant role in energy production.

Solution diversity is important as it allows for resilience and agility. It helps us avoid having eggs in one basket. The positive is that there are many opportunities to accomplish this, given the technological developments in energy generation, storage, and distribution, energy efficiency, and transportation.

Color Matters

H2 plays an increasingly prominent role in energy, transportation, and other sectors. Not surprisingly, much of this progress is driven by the fossil fuel industry. Ironically, in many situations, we may be better off using the feedstock (natural gas) than the dirty (fossil fuel-derived) H2 due to the energy losses associated with the production.

Most (98%+) of global H2 is produced using fossil fuels (gas and coal). A varying amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) are emitted in the creation of this H2, depending on the fossil fuel and the production process. 'Blue’ H2 is the cleanest of the fossil fuel-based H2. In this case, carbon dioxide is mechanically captured and stored.

‘Green’ H2 is produced using electricity and water. Depending on how much the electricity grid is decarbonized, the carbon intensity of this H2 will vary. If we’re to wean our economies from fossils, we must focus on green (electrolyzed) H2.

Application Matters

This is the area with the most debate, particularly in transportation. Hawaii EV continues to advocate for the cleanest, most efficient, and most affordable transportation solution for our community. It starts with maximizing the efficiency of our existing vehicles with careful trip planning, proper maintenance, etc…, followed by reducing the need for a personal car (reducing VMT) and opting for a right-sized electric vehicle if a personal vehicle is necessary. We’ve written about the merits of EVs over gas vehicles and battery-electric over fuel-cell electric cars here, here, and here, so I will focus instead on the other applications for H2.

Green H2 does offer value in use cases that are very difficult or impossible to electrify:

  • Large transoceanic ships (using alternative fuels derived from H2 like ammonia and methanol)

  • Heavy equipment (e.g., large mining equipment) used in isolated locations

  • Aviation (using liquid fuels derived from H2)

  • Long-haul freight transport in certain locales

  • Long-duration energy storage

  • Ag chemicals like fertilizers

  • Steel production

Learn about the uses of H2 and more from this Fully Charged podcast with guest Michael Liebreich, a thought leader in clean energy, transportation, sustainability, and climate.

Timestamps, courtesy of show notes:

Noel Morin
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