• Home
  • Courses
  • About Us
  • Register
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
Login
Have any question?

(+44) 7804 425165
[email protected]
The ChemEng Student
  • Home
  • Courses
  • About Us
  • Register
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Is blue hydrogen really green

Home » Blog » Is Blue Hydrogen Really Green

Is Blue Hydrogen Really Green

  • Posted by C. Russell
  • Date December 21, 2021
Is blue hydrogen really green?

What is Blue Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is the first element found on the periodic table. This is the most basic and fundamental element in the universe. The immense energy potential of hydrogen makes it a very lucrative but also incredibly dangerous fuel source. Take for instance the sun! This is essentially a massive ball of hydrogen gas that undergoes fusion reactions to form helium. We won’t get too technical in this post, however, feel free to get in touch if you want to learn more about the chemistry and physics behind hydrogen. 

Before we go into the details of what exactly is blue hydrogen, we must first consider the different types of hydrogen. When we refer to different types of hydrogen, we are simply referring to how they are made, and the level of emissions required within the process. 

what is blue hydrogen

1. Grey Hydrogen

Grey hydrogen is the most common form of hydrogen and is generated from natural gas (consisting mainly of methane and ethane). The process is often referred to as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), and can account for up to 96% of hydrogen production. 

This fossil fuel powers most commercial and industrial gas boilers and stoves. Scientists have confirmed that this is a key player in carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. This is what gives this hydrogen its colour identifier, as grey isn’t a bring and welcoming colour. 

2. Brown Hydrogen

Brown hydrogen uses lignite coal (also known as brown coal, generated over millions of years by compressed peat deposits) or oil. Black hydrogen is produced using bituminous coal – a tar-like substance. Which makes sense, since coal is black and extremely harmful for the environment. 

The process of extracting hydrogen from all of these options emits CO₂ to differing degrees, and so they are not a suitable pathway for reaching net-zero emissions with hydrogen. However, as we discuss in another post, the realisation of net-zero emissions isn’t going to be realised unless we can create negative emissions to counterbalance the carbon output over the last several decades. 

3. Green Hydrogen

Green hydrogen is produced by using zero-carbon electricity – such as that generated by wind turbines or solar panels – to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, through a process known as electrolysis. The process is carbon-neutral since the electricity has come from non-fossil fuel sources, however, green hydrogen is very expensive and is expected to remain until at least 2030.

Despite this high cost, the efficiencies of the electrolyzer are increasing, which will hopefully reduce the cost of green hydrogen, however, current markets suggest this won’t reach prices of grey hydrogen for several decades. 

4. Blue Hydrogen

But blue hydrogen is a relatively new concept, it’s hoped, particularly by the US and UK governments, to be as sustainable as green hydrogen, with the reduced costs associated with grey hydrogen. Blue hydrogen is produced using the same reforming process that is used to create grey, brown and black hydrogen, but the CO₂ that would ordinarily be released is captured and stored underground. Currently, as of 2021, there are only two blue-hydrogen facilities, one operated by Shell in Alberta, Canada, and the other by Air Products in Texas, USA. 

Carbon capture and storage equipment are expensive, raising the price of the fuel, but it at least provides for low-carbon fuel production at a lower cost than green hydrogen. There is however a huge misconception surrounding blue hydrogen, which many believe that this process has “zero emissions” however, this simply isn’t the case, not all of the emitted CO2 is captured and stored. 

Differences between grey, blue and green hydrogen

So Whats The Problem?

There are essentially two ways to make blue hydrogen, and both rely on steam reformation, the process of using high heat, pressure, and steam that cracks methane and water to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. For both approaches, carbon dioxide from steam reformation is captured and stored or used. The difference between the two is whether carbon dioxide is captured from the generators that power the steam-reformation and carbon-capture processes.

When you add it all up, capturing carbon from all parts of the process—steam reformation, power supply, and carbon capture—eliminates just 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions compared with only capturing carbon from steam reformation. The lowest-carbon blue hydrogen had emissions that were just 12 percent lower than for gray hydrogen.

Blue hydrogen’s Achilles’ heel is the methane used to produce it. Methane is the dominant component of natural gas, and while it burns more cleanly than oil or coal, it’s a potent greenhouse gas on its own. Over 20 years, one ton of the stuff warms the atmosphere 86 times more than one ton of carbon dioxide. That means leaks along the supply chain can undo a lot of methane’s climate advantages.

Carbon footprint of blue hydrogen

Are The Policies Fit For Purpose

The UK government has said it wants 5 GW of “low-carbon” hydrogen capacity by the end of the decade. Oil and gas giants BP and Equinor, taking a cue from government announcements, both announced plans for massive blue hydrogen plants in the country with outputs of 1 GW and 1.2 GW, respectively.

The new study also casts doubt on some plans to shift transportation to hydrogen. Some sectors, like freight and aviation, may end up requiring hydrogen for certain routes. But cars and trucks, which many countries say must be zero-emitting by 2035 or sooner, will have a harder time justifying a switch to hydrogen over straight electrification. Companies that have bet their future on hydrogen, like Toyota, are in a tight spot as their bridge to a truly zero-carbon portfolio takes a hit.

Not all hydrogen suffers from these problems, of course. Green hydrogen, which is made by splitting water using wind or solar power, doesn’t suffer from the same carbon accounting issues. But neither does it reuse oil and gas companies’ existing infrastructure. So while this new study seems to be a pretty damning indictment of blue hydrogen, it’s unlikely to be the final nail in its coffin.

government policy for blue hydrogen

So What Is The Future?

As cleshay as it is, no one can predict the future, however, we can take an educated and calculated assumption of what the future of energy production might be. 

We know for certain that the future of energy will move away from traditional fossil fuel systems, however, by what extent is yet to be relaised. It’s important to remember that this is the first generation to discuss and implement some plant to combatting climate change, and begin the long process of correcting the issues that date back to the industrial revolution. That will take time. 

Controversial to public opinion is that I believe the net-zero targets for 2030 are unrealistic and are set up for failure. The technology required isn’t there yet, nor is the economics worthwhile for investors. This suggests in reality it’s a numbers game, regardless of the urgency to reduce emissions!

In a hypothetical world, renewables will provide the globe with 100% of its required energy, without the reliance on coal, oil, or natural gas. The current and near-future won’t see this come to fruition. What we will see is a reduction in the quantity of fossil fuel consumption, with the integration of renewable sources. 

It will take time, it will take innovation, and out of the box thinking, but one day I do believe the world will run on pure 100% green energy, but in this lifetime, I don’t think it will reach its targets. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for the 2050 target, but we must be conscious that it’s a tall order and a Herculean task. 

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Tag:blue hydrogen, chemical engineering, COP26, fossil fuels, greenhouse gases

  • Share:
C. Russell
C. Russell

Hi, my name is Callum Russell I am a PhD student in chemical engineering with a 1st class honours and Masters degree. My current research is on the cultivation of microalgae for the production of biodiesel and high-value products, which aims to improve the economic performance of the bioengineering industry. I am the founder of The ChemEng Student and Direct Tutoring Ltd, I have over 8 years of teaching experience and would now like to reach as many Chemical Engineering students as possible from around the world and share my knowledge and experience with them.

My main areas of interest in chemical engineering are…

Heat Transfer
Distillation
Pinch Analysis
Thermofluids
Reactor Design
Thermodynamics

Previous post

Complete Guide To Studying Effectively
December 21, 2021

Next post

The Future of Chemical Engineering
January 12, 2022

You may also like

How to Become a Chemical Engineer
How to Become A Chemical Engineer
20 July, 2022
How to Pass Chemical Engineering
How To Pass Chemical Engineering
3 July, 2022
Unlocking the power of microalgae
A Macro Perspective of Microalgae
12 May, 2022

Recent Posts

  • How to Become A Chemical Engineer
  • How To Pass Chemical Engineering
  • A Macro Perspective of Microalgae
  • The Major Problems with Renewable Energy
  • 5 Things Chemical Engineering Students Rant About

Popular Courses

(+44) 7804 425165

[email protected]

SUPPORT

  • Register
  • Courses
  • Resource Library
  • Take a Quiz

COMPANY

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

LEGAL

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund & Returns Policy
  • FAQ

AFFILIATE

  • Affiliate Area
  • Affiliate Program

The ChemEng Student 2022

READY TO LEARN WITH US?

Enhance your understanding of Chemical engineering today!

Get started now

Login with your site account

Lost your password?

Not a member yet? Register now

Register a new account

Are you a member? Login now

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT