When referring to an emission-free energy source, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Solar panels, wind turbines?
While these sources are adequate for energy generation for low-intensive uses, for high-intensive uses such as steelmaking, they cannot guarantee a total emission-free environment because steel production requires higher temperatures than traditional electric furnaces can deliver. Green hydrogen, on the other hand, is emissions-free, burns hot and is clean. Replacing the fossil fuels now used in furnaces that reach 1500°C with hydrogen gas could make a big dent in the 20 per cent global carbon emissions generated in the industry. What’s, even more, is that the byproduct of hydrogen is water vapour rather than carbon gasses. The benefits of hydrogen also extend to the transport sector, where hydrogen fuel cells have proven to be a better alternative than energy storage batteries for heavy vehicles, such as ships, trucks and aeroplanes.
What countries are making the head start?
The European Union has set the most ambitious goal; building electrolyzers capable of converting 40GW of renewable electricity into hydrogen by 2030. In addition, Germany has revealed that green hydrogen will significantly transform its industrial base as it moves to zero emissions by 2045. China is also making strides to have 1 million vehicles powered by hydrogen cells at the end of 2030. Can the United States be left out? The US has set a goal of reducing the cost of renewable hydrogen by 80 per cent by 2030. Thus, hydrogen might be the alternative energy source that enables us to achieve net-zero.