Types of Hydrogen
We are all aware that hydrogen is an invisible, colourless gas. However, we still hear people discussing the many hues of hydrogen. They frequently discuss green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, black hydrogen, brown hydrogen, pink hydrogen, turquoise hydrogen, yellow hydrogen, red hydrogen, and white hydrogen. What are these hues then? We shall learn about several sorts of hydrogen hues and their significance in this article.
Hydrogen colours or types
Since hydrogen atoms cannot form on their own, energy is required for this process. Although hydrogen is present in large quantities in water and other natural gases, it must first be broken from its molecular bonds using energy in order to be converted into pure hydrogen.
There are nine different colour codes assigned to hydrogen depending on the production process. As follows:
Green hydrogen
The hydrogen created by electrolyzing water with clean electricity generated by surplus renewable energy sources is known as green hydrogen. The creation of green hydrogen is sustainable and beneficial to the environment because it doesn't emit any greenhouse gases. Green hydrogen is created using a machine called an electrolyzer.
Using an electrochemical reaction, electricity produced from renewable resources such as wind, sun, etc. splits water into its component gases, hydrogen and oxygen. As a result, the method produces no carbon emissions and supports the net-zero carbon idea. Due to the high expense of producing green hydrogen, it only accounts for a small portion of total hydrogen produced.
Blue Hydrogen
Natural gas is used in the steam reforming process to produce blue hydrogen (Fossil Fuel). Hydrogen and carbon dioxide are created when natural gas and hot steam are combined. Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS) technology is used to store this carbon dioxide underground for industrial usage. Blue hydrogen is also referred to as low-carbon hydrogen because the steam reduction process does not prevent the production of greenhouse gases.
Grey Hydrogen
The most prevalent type of hydrogen created from natural gas, coal, or methane is known as grey hydrogen. Grey hydrogen is produced through a process known as steam methane reformation. While creating grey hydrogen, a smaller number of greenhouse gases are also produced, but they are not trapped and released into the atmosphere.
Pink Hydrogen
Pink hydrogen is the name given to the hydrogen produced when it is produced using a nuclear-powered water electrolysis technique. This hydrogen is occasionally referred to as purple hydrogen.
This procedure, which is quite effective, uses nuclear reactors with extremely high temperatures.
Turquoise Hydrogen
The methane pyrolysis procedure yields turquoise hydrogen. Hydrogen and solid carbon are produced during the thermal breakdown of natural gas. Natural gas is thermally split, and the produced carbon is either permanently stored or utilised in the process.
Yellow Hydrogen
Yellow hydrogen is created when sun energy is employed during the electrolysis process to create hydrogen. This method of producing hydrogen is quite recent. Sometimes, yellow hydrogen is also created from a variety of additional mixed energy sources.
Red Hydrogen
Nuclear thermal energy is utilised to split water using a high-temperature catalytic process; the resulting hydrogen is known as red hydrogen.
White Hydrogen
The naturally occurring geological hydrogen is known as white hydrogen. Typically, quantities of this kind of hydrogen are found underground. White hydrogen can occasionally be produced during fracking.
scaling up internationally
The Hydrogen Council published a report in February that describes the rate of increase.
Over 30 nations have declared over 200 projects, with over $300 billion in investment.
Australia and Europe are currently the key players, and each is taking a slightly different tack.
With the aim of creating clean/green hydrogen for less than $2 per kilogramme, Australia has made hydrogen a top priority.
The European Union is constructing "hydrogen valleys" that exploit the North Sea's offshore wind energy to power electrolysers, has a defined plan, and has established a clean hydrogen alliance. The longer-term strategy calls for transporting hydrogen throughout the continent via the network of natural gas pipelines already in place.
Saudi Arabia recently declared its ambition to enter the market, bringing its tremendous solar power potential and experience in the creation of large-scale energy projects to bear.
A project that Japan has created to produce hydrogen from sewage using a carbon-neutral approach has the potential to be very beneficial. Every nation with sewage treatment facilities might do this, creating the opportunity for local hydrogen production and obviating the need for transportation.
In other ways, the US is lagging behind; a report ordered last year urged officials to "follow the lead of the European Union."