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Hydrogen science overtakes science fiction
Published in 1874, Jules Verne’s science fiction novel, The Mysterious Island, tells of five prisoners-of-war who escape in a hydrogen-filled balloon. They crash on an island where fuel is scarce. In the book, Verne imagines a world where “water will one day be employed as fuel, that the hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it…will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, of an intensity of which coal is not capable”.
It seems Monsieur Verne was right. We live in a time where a kilo of hydrogen can provide two days of heating for the average household. Or, instead of producing heat, hydrogen can be converted straight into electricity via a fuel cell. Far more efficient than burning petrol, a fuel cell can convert about 60% of hydrogen energy into electricity to drive a car. Petrol engines only convert about 20%, so hydrogen is around three times more efficient. It also doesn’t take up much room. One kilo can drive a car for 130km and a lot can be stored in a relatively small container.
When hydrogen burns, the only emission it creates is water. That’s great news for the planet.
The idea of exchanging the world’s petrol-burning vehicles for hydrogen-burning vehicles is a good one. But It would take a heck of a lot of hydrogen to do it. Since it’s found in water, there’s plenty available, but it would take vast amounts of electricity to extract the required hydrogen.
How is hydrogen fuel produced?
Burning fuel to make electricity is bad for the planet. But electricity is needed to extract the clean fuel that is good for the planet. It’s a conundrum.
People talk about hydrogen in three different ‘colours’. Grey, blue and green. The hydrogen is all the same. It’s the way it’s produced which determines its category, or colour:
- GREY HYDROGEN is produced using a process called steam methane reforming, which combines methane and water to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Up until now, it’s the way most hydrogen has been produced, and it’s the main reason hydrogen has a bad rap as a ‘dirty fuel’.
- BLUE HYDROGEN is produced using natural gas. The CO2 generated during the manufacturing process is captured and stored. The result is low-carbon hydrogen that doesn’t release CO2.
- GREEN HYDROGEN is produced using electrolysis, which breaks down the water molecules to extract the hydrogen. The electricity must itself be carbon-free (e.g. solar or wind-powered) in order for this hydrogen to be labelled ‘green'.
Green hydrogen is the answer, which is great news as hydrogen technology is shaping up to play a big part in our future. Globally, Toyota is investing in hydrogen technology as part of the next step in our journey to reduce carbon emissions. Locally, New Zealand has committed to being carbon neutral by 2050. Already eight corporate brands have signed on to help Toyota test the first fleet of hydrogen-fueled Mirai. They’re already on Kiwi roads as our first commercial foray into hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.