A Better Green Hydrogen Production Method Has Been Discovered

With climate change and its large negative impact on us and our world, some vital changes are necessary to ensure a better future for us and the generations that come after us. One of these changes is our energy/fuel source. We need to move away from energy that results in carbon emissions. We believe a new discovery on the green hydrogen production method will be extremely helpful to this end.  

What Is Green Hydrogen? 

There are three types of hydrogens: 

• Gray  

• Blue  

• Green 

Gray hydrogen is obtained from natural gas or methane through a process that creates a large amount of carbon dioxide. This is the most common hydrogen produced due to the process of making it being extremely cheap. However, since the production of this hydrogen also produces a lot of carbon dioxide, it makes climate change worse.  

Blue hydrogen is similar to gray hydrogen except for the fact that the carbon dioxide released during the production process is captured. This hydrogen is comparatively better for the environment.  

Green hydrogen is obtained through the electrolysis of water. In other words, it is obtained by splitting water into its hydrogen and oxygen elements. Renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, is used for the electrolysis process. This process does not release carbon dioxide, which makes it the best hydrogen for our earth.  

Benefits of green hydrogen: 

• Renewable 

• Clean  

• Easier to transport due to its lightweight 

• Easier to store 

Current Economic View 

You might be wondering why we’re not using green hydrogen if it’s so much better for our world. It all comes down to money, as most things do. As it is right now, producing green hydrogen is extremely expensive since renewable energy is expensive. Additionally, implementing green hydrogen requires a large investment, making it more expensive.  

New Green Hydrogen Production Method and Its Impact 

Photoelectrochemical, abbreviated as PEC, cells have the ability to produce green hydrogen using sunlight and water in the cells. However, this method is not common due to this method requiring more money and energy than other electrolyzers. However, this is about to change. 

A group of scientists in Berlin has discovered a way to make PEC cells energy efficient. They discovered that by combining the electrolysis reaction with reactions that produce chemicals used in pharmaceutical and chemical companies, the PEC cells can be efficient for large-scale implementation.  

This is a major step towards transitioning to green energy!