Hydrogen 101
Menu opener
Scroll
Let’s start with the basics.
Hydrogen is the lightest element, about 14x lighter than air. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-toxic. Hydrogen makes up the majority of normal matter in the universe. It is typically found with other elements, such as oxygen which creates water (H2O). It is also used alongside other elements to produce many fuels we are familiar with such as gasoline, natural gas, propane and methanol. In order to use hydrogen for energy as you will see below, we must first get the element in its pure form.
Energy carriers enable the transportation of usable energy from one location to another. Similar to electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier that requires production from another substance. Because it is an energy carrier, hydrogen is one of the oldest and most commonly used gases in manufacturing globally.
Hydrogen is mainly used today in refining, ammonia, and the chemical industry. In addition to the main uses, hydrogen also powers over 60,000 forklifts, 16,000+ fuel cell cars, 150+ fuel cell buses with 50+ hydrogen fueling stations and over 500 MW of backup power just in the United States today. Production is forecasted to grow to over 50 MMT by 2050.
Great! Now let’s move into why we’re here — hydrogen energy
While hydrogen is found in many organic compounds, the tricky part is getting hydrogen in it’s pure form. Hydrogen production can be broken down into four main process categories:
Thermal processes harness the energy in resources like natural gas, coal, or biomass to release hydrogen.
Electrolyzers employ electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Microbes, including bacteria and microalgae, could produce hydrogen through biological reactions using sunlight or organic matter.
Photolytic processes, using sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, are in the early research stages.
Let’s break down the two most common methods of production below.
Steam reforming is a form of thermal production. Today, about 95% of hydrogen is produced using steam reforming of natural gas.
Electrolysis uses an electric current to split water into its basic elements: hydrogen and oxygen.
Once the pure hydrogen is produced, it can be stored and used for later. There are four types of hydrogen storage:
Hydrogen can be stored as a gas underground in empty salt caverns, depleted aquifers, or retired oil and gas fields. In fact, there’s a long precedent of storing gasses underground like this. It’s an ideal option for storing hydrogen for long periods of time. It’s one of the cheapest and largest scale options today, but it’s not available everywhere.
Learn More
Like any gas, hydrogen can be compressed and stored in tanks. But hydrogen requires very high pressure tanks that hold a limited quantity of energy. Whether we’re talking about above ground tanks or tube trailers, compressed gas is one of the most expensive and least energy dense options we have today, but it’s also one of the simplest.
Learn More
Hydrogen is much more energy dense as a liquid, offering greater efficiency for storage and transport. However, achieving this state requires cooling it to near absolute zero, necessitating significant energy input and the use of sophisticated, highly insulated tanks to maintain its low temperature and ensure safety.
Learn More
Hydrogen is stored in materials like metal hydrides, which absorb and release hydrogen through chemical reactions. This method allows for compact, safe storage, ideal for high-density energy needs, and releases hydrogen on demand, typically by applying heat.
Learn MoreThere are approximately 1,600 miles of hydrogen pipelines across the U.S. Hydrogen can be blended into existing natural gas pipelines with modifications.
These specialized vehicles are designed to transport liquefied gases at extremely low temperatures.
These mobile transportation units are equipped with high-pressure cylinders carrying compressed gases.
Click on a droplet below to further explore the many end uses of hydrogen.