4 ms·
Of course it is a path to clean energy. It's basically a perfect solution if you consider the whole cycle. We have increasingly longer periods of surplus elect
by Kon5ole 2y ago
Of course it is a path to clean energy. It's basically a perfect solution if you consider the whole cycle.
We have increasingly longer periods of surplus electricity from solar and wind. So much so that getting rid of the surplus is a growing problem!
Splitting water to hydrogen using this surplus electricity would basically be "free energy" that can be stored for years. And when you consume it, the emissions are clean water!
Sunshine becomes free energy and clean water. What could possibly compete with that?
I believe the main problem is that it will disrupt the current revenue structures in the energy industry, which makes it hard to get the ball rolling. Anyone currently making money from selling electricity will lose if it gets cheaper, and hydrogen can only make it cheaper.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- HelloMcFly 2y ago> Splitting water to hydrogen using this surplus electricity would basically be "free energy" that can be stored for years. If we're using renewables to generate the hydrogen then I 100% agree. We probably won't be doing that though, and that certainly isn't what the Oil & Gas industry, the proponents behind hydrogen's push into the mass market, are trying to accomplish.
- pjc50 2y agoImportant problem: the equipment used to do the splitting is not free. For the platinum catalyst process it's quite expensive. The alkaline is cheaper, but you've still got a lot of chemical plant to have around. This has a capital cost, as well as all the permitting and staffing and safety around handling explosive gases. What do you do with the spare oxygen? Obviously when you have more than you can sell you dump it back in the atmosphere, but you have to be careful with the dilution because pure oxygen is an extreme fire hazard. I'm not sure we're ever going to see cheap hydrogen.