Rajan Wilcox
Hydrogen has the potential to replace gasoline as a fuel, but there are challenges to overcome. Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity and power vehicles, but currently, most hydrogen is extracted from fossil fuels, which negates any emissions savings. To realise the dream of clean hydrogen fuel, renewable energy sources like solar and wind power must be harnessed to process hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen made using natural gas would be a slight improvement in terms of pollution output, but wind power would be the most environmentally friendly option.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen as a fuel | Can be combusted and used to make electricity |
| Hydrogen-powered vehicles | Usually refers to hydrogen-fuelled electric vehicles |
| Hydrogen production | Currently, 95% of hydrogen available in the U.S. is extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels |
| Hydrogen vs gasoline | Driving gasoline/electric hybrid cars would lower greenhouse gas emissions more than driving fuel cell cars run on hydrogen from coal |
| Hydrogen production methods | Natural gas, wind power, coal, water electrolysis |
| Hydrogen production method impact | Using wind power to produce hydrogen would be better for the environment than using natural gas |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen-powered vehicles
Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles, but currently, 95% of the hydrogen available in the US is either extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels. This means that hydrogen fuel does not currently offer any real emissions savings or reduction in fossil fuel usage.
However, if renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power can be harnessed to provide the energy to process hydrogen fuel, then hydrogen could become a truly clean fuel. Stanford University researchers assessed the environmental effects of three different hydrogen sources: coal, natural gas, and water electrolysis powered by wind. They found that we would lower greenhouse gas emissions more by driving gasoline/electric hybrid cars than by driving fuel cell cars run on hydrogen from coal. However, hydrogen made using natural gas would be less polluting than hydrogen from coal, and making hydrogen from wind power would be the best option for the environment.
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Hydrogen fuel sources
Hydrogen is a versatile fuel that can be used to generate electricity, power vehicles, and even as rocket fuel. Hydrogen can be used to supplement or replace natural gas, and it is already being used by operators of several natural gas-fired power plants. Hydrogen has the potential to indirectly store energy for electric power generation.
Hydrogen can be made using natural gas or wind power. Currently, 95% of the hydrogen available in the US is either extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels. This means that there are no real emissions savings or reduction in fossil fuel usage. However, if renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and others can be harnessed to provide the energy to process hydrogen fuel, it could become a truly clean fuel source.
Stanford University researchers assessed the environmental effects of three different hydrogen sources: coal, natural gas, and water electrolysis powered by wind. They found that driving gasoline/electric hybrid cars would lower greenhouse gas emissions more than driving fuel cell cars run on hydrogen from coal.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles typically refer to hydrogen-fuelled electric vehicles. Hydrogen can be used to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for use as renewable diesel.
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Hydrogen fuel cells
Hydrogen is already used in industrial processes, as a rocket fuel, and in fuel cells for electricity generation and powering vehicles. Hydrogen is also used by the U.S. petroleum industry to lower the sulfur content of fuels.
However, if renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power can be harnessed to provide the energy to process hydrogen fuel, then hydrogen fuel cells could become a truly clean energy source. For example, hydrogen made using wind power would be much better for the environment than hydrogen made from fossil fuels.
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Hydrogen production methods
Hydrogen can be produced in several ways, but the two most common methods are steam-methane reforming and electrolysis (splitting water with electricity).
Steam-methane reforming accounts for nearly all commercially produced hydrogen in the United States. Commercial hydrogen producers and petroleum refineries use steam-methane reforming to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane (CH4). In steam-methane reforming, high-temperature steam (1,300°F to 1,800°F) under 3 bar–25 bar pressure (1 bar = 14.5 pounds per square inch) reacts with methane in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and a relatively small amount of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Electrolysis can be done at high or low pressure, and there are also other emerging electrochemical processes such as high-temperature electrolysis or carbon-assisted electrolysis.
Other methods of hydrogen production include biomass gasification, methane pyrolysis, and extraction of underground hydrogen. As of 2023, less than 1% of dedicated hydrogen production is low-carbon, i.e. blue hydrogen, green hydrogen, and hydrogen produced from biomass.
Hydrogen can also be produced through thermochemical water splitting, where high temperatures generated by solar concentrators or nuclear reactors drive chemical reactions that split water to produce hydrogen. Another method is photobiological water splitting, where microbes, such as green algae, consume water in the presence of sunlight and produce hydrogen as a byproduct. Photoelectrochemical water splitting uses photoelectrochemical systems to produce hydrogen from water using special semiconductors and energy from sunlight.
Hydrogen made using natural gas would fare a little bit better in terms of pollution output, while making it from wind power would be a slam-dunk for the environment. However, right now 95% of the hydrogen available in the U.S. is either extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels, thus negating any real emissions savings or reduction in fossil fuel usage. Only if renewable energy sources—solar, wind and others—can be harnessed to provide the energy to process hydrogen fuel can the dream of a truly clean hydrogen fuel be realized.
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Hydrogen as a supplement
Hydrogen can be used as a supplement to gasoline as a fuel. Hydrogen can be used to make electricity and can also be combusted. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are usually electric vehicles. Hydrogen can be extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels. However, if renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and others can be used to process hydrogen fuel, it could be a truly clean fuel. Hydrogen made using wind power would be the best for the environment. Hydrogen is already used as a supplement or replacement for natural gas in some natural gas-fired power plants.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, hydrogen can be used as a fuel. It can make electricity and can also be combusted.
Hydrogen can be extracted from fossil fuels or made using electrolytic processes powered by fossil fuels. It can also be made using natural gas or wind power.
Hydrogen is used in industrial processes, as a rocket fuel, and in fuel cells for electricity generation and powering vehicles.
Yes, hydrogen has the potential to indirectly store energy for electric power generation.
In the United States, hydrogen is consumed by industry for refining petroleum, treating metals, producing fertiliser and other chemicals, and processing foods. It is also used to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for use as renewable diesel.
