Courtesy : IBERDROLA

Green hydrogen: an alternative that reduces emissions and cares for our planet

#climate change #environmental sustainability #R&D

Decarbonising the planet is one of the goals that countries around the world have set for 2050. To achieve this, decarbonising the production of an element like hydrogen, giving rise to green hydrogen, is one of the keys as this is currently responsible for more than 2 % of total global CO₂ emissions. Find out how this is achieved and what its impact will be in the coming decades.

Our way of life needs an increasing amount of watts to function. The latest estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), published at the end of 2019, predict that global energy demand will increase by between 25 % and 30 % by 2040, which in an economy dependent on coal and oil would mean more CO₂, exacerbating climate change. However, decarbonising the planet suggests a different world in 2050: one that is more accessible, efficient and sustainable, and driven by clean energies such as green hydrogen.

WHAT IS GREEN HYDROGEN AND HOW IS IT OBTAINED?

This technology is based on the generation of hydrogen — a universal, light and highly reactive fuel — through a chemical process known as electrolysis. This method uses an electrical current to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in water. If this electricity is obtained from renewable sources we will, therefore, produce energy without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

As the IEA points out, this method of obtaining green hydrogen would save the 830 million tonnes of CO₂ that are emitted annually when this gas is produced using fossil fuels. Likewise, replacing all grey hydrogen in the world would require 3,000 TWh/year from new renewables — equivalent to current demand of Europe. However, there are some questions about the viability of green hydrogen because of its high production cost; reasonable doubts that will disappear as the decarbonisation of the earth progresses and, consequently, the generation of renewable energy becomes cheaper.

  SEE INFOGRAPHIC: How is green hydrogen obtained? [PDF]External link, opens in new window.

HYDROGEN AS CLEAN ENERGY

Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element in nature. As noted by the IEA, the global demand for hydrogen for use as a fuel has tripled since 1975 and reached 70 million tonnes a year in 2018. In addition, it is a clean energy source that only emits water vapour and leaves no residue in the air, unlike coal and oil.

Hydrogen has a long-standing relationship with industry. This gas has been used to fuel cars, airships and spaceships since the beginning of the 19th century. The decarbonisation of the world economy, a process that cannot be postponed, will give hydrogen more prominence. In addition, if its production costs fall by 50 % by 2030, as predicted by the World Hydrogen Council, we will undoubtedly be looking at one of the fuels of the future.

IBERDROLA LEADS THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN HYDROGEN

In its commitment to lead the energy transition, Iberdrola is spearheading the development of green hydrogen to meet the electrification and decarbonisation needs of sectors such as industry and heavy goods transport. The company has announced the creation of a new green hydrogen business unit with which it intends to position itself as world leader in this technology. The group is thus placing itself at the forefront of this new technological challenge which involves the production and supply of hydrogen from clean energy sources, using 100 % renewable energy for the electrolysis process.

As part of its investment plan between now and 2030, amounting to €150 billion, green hydrogen will be a major vector for growth. Iberdrola is already developing several projects that will enable the decarbonisation of industry and heavy transport in Spain and the UK as well as developing its value chain. The company has also submitted 54 projects to the EU’s Next Generation programme, which would trigger investments of €2.5 billion to reach green hydrogen production of 60,000 tonnes/year. The group hopes to produce 85,000 tonnes annually by 2030.