Green Hydrogen: Fuelling Tomorrow's Sustainable Energy Journey
By Dionisio Visintin, Commercial Excellence and Hydrogen Manager Europe, Veolia Water Technologies
In the global drive towards sustainability, the quest for clean energy solutions has become increasingly pressing. At the forefront of this movement is hydrogen, acclaimed for its versatility and zero-emission characteristics.
The Potential of Green Hydrogen Production
Green hydrogen production signifies a significant stride towards fostering a sustainable, clean energy landscape. Unlike methods reliant on fossil fuels, green hydrogen is derived from renewable energy sources like wind and solar. By leveraging electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity, this approach emits no greenhouse gases. Its applications vary widely, spanning from fuel cells for power generation to zero-emission propulsion in hydrogen vehicles. Moreover, green hydrogen's impact extends beyond the energy sector, offering potential revolution in industries like chemical and steel production, leading to significant reductions in carbon emissions.
To learn more about hydrogen and its various forms, explore our dedicated article on the Hydrogen: The Rising Star of Sustainable Energy here.
Overcoming Challenges in the Hydrogen Industry
However, several hurdles must be surmounted before hydrogen can be widely embraced as a clean energy source.
1. Cost of Production
The cost of production remains a primary concern, given that hydrogen fuel — along with innovations in hard-to-abate sectors like green steel, green ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — is currently pricier than gasoline and diesel. In the absence of supportive government policies, the demand for green hydrogen would likely be minimal, as customers would tend to choose the more cost-effective conventional options. Yet, technological advancements and economies of scale are poised to address this disparity, with innovations in electrolysis efficiency and the integration of renewable energy sources.
2. Production Efficiency
Enhancing production efficiency while upholding sustainability standards poses a multifaceted challenge for hydrogen producers, demanding innovative solutions to minimise energy loss. Storage and transportation infrastructure also present obstacles, given hydrogen's gaseous nature, as compression or liquefaction processes incur additional costs. But with ongoing technological developments, there is much promise for hydrogen producers to overcome these logistical barriers. Moreover, ensuring water quality and averting scarcity emerge as critical considerations, underscoring the need for diligent water management practices.
Despite these challenges, hydrogen stands as a promising clean energy contender. Regions that are endowed with abundant renewable resources and supportive infrastructure, like Australia, are poised to lead in hydrogen production and exportation.
Championing Sustainability: Veolia's Contribution to Clean Hydrogen Production
As a key player in advancing sustainable hydrogen solutions, Veolia adopts a comprehensive approach to water treatment and aims to enhance hydrogen electrolysis efficiency. Veolia's modular plant design offers versatility and scalability, accommodating diverse production demands while optimising performance.
The company offers solutions tailored to varying production capacities: less than 1 MW, between 1 and 50 MW, as well as between 50 and 1000 MW. Depending on the plant’s location, Veolia provides reliable solutions to treat a variety of water sources, such as reverse osmosis for ground and seawater, and thermal desalination that converts heat and seawater to produce distillate water. Leveraging the company’s unique selling propositions of global technical expertise and local knowledge, Veolia pioneers innovative, modular solutions to address the industry’s challenges, providing packaged, containerised, or bespoke large-scale solutions tailored to the specific water capacity requirements dictated by the hydrogen production plant's scale.
Veolia's commitment to advancing green hydrogen production includes providing tailored solutions for electrolyser manufacturers worldwide. One such instance is the company’s partnership with a global water electrolyser manufacturer based in the United Kingdom. The team developed a modular system capable of controlling the continuous production of the different qualities of water required for the various technologies, regardless of the water source — whether it be well water, seawater, or wastewater. This solution incorporates softening and reverse osmosis (RO) systems to ensure the electrolyser's required conductivity, effectively treating feed water to the required quality for various polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser technologies, including proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers.
The collaboration has since expanded to include supplying water deionisation plants to the manufacturer’s US-based clients, capitalising on Veolia's global presence and adherence to international standards, and demonstrates Veolia's ability to deliver standardised and exportable solutions that support the growth of renewable hydrogen production globally.
Navigating Towards a Hydrogen-Powered Era
Hydrogen emerges as a cornerstone in reshaping society's energy paradigm towards a more sustainable future. From its diverse production methods to the challenges confronting the industry, hydrogen fuel plays a multifaceted role in the clean energy revolution.
With an unwavering commitment to ecological transformation, Veolia is accelerating the deployment of innovative solutions, investing massively in technological and social innovation, and collaborating with industry leaders in the hydrogen industry to build a more sustainable and ecologically desirable tomorrow.
To learn more about Veolia's sustainable solutions for green hydrogen production, contact us at [email protected] or visit https://www.anz.veoliawatertechnologies.com/core-markets/hydrogen-production.