GLOBAL RESOURCES ANALYSIS


TECHNOLOGIES | HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY


Hydrogen is the perfect energy storage and transport (making it an offline -as in later on useable- instead of live -as in second later not existing-) medium although it's highly explosive. Its storage and transport is relatively cheap and it can be pumped over very quick as liquid from ships to terminals, from terminals to distribution trucks, from distribution trucks to gas stations and from gas stations in to cars, trucks, busses, tractors and all other special transport equipment. Hydrogen is just a storage/transport medium of energy. Hydrogen is not a basic source of energy, it's just a storage form. Hydrogen must be made and this process (like all other processes) has an energy use of its own. When the conversion rate can be maximalized (less energy use of the process) hydrogen is perfect because it combines energy storage and energy transport. The install base is the problem. There is not any hydrogen installbase yet. Not in production (power to hydrogen), not in transport, not in distribution, not in sales and not in use (converting it back to electrical power). Hydrogen can play an important role in leveling the energy prices, when live energy will be priced based on actual live supply/demand market mechanism. Hydrogen than can be used by households, companies and grid connected power providers to fill the gaps between supply and demand (which will be the high priced part of the energy market of the future). Jeremy Rifkin is the hydrogen economy 'apostle' of the world, with his international enormous impact having book "The Hydrogen Economy". HVDC is for fixed line electrical power use maybe a better, cheaper and simpler solution. When cars become hydrogen powered they can deliver (paid) power to the home, company and grid when needed. Hydrogen has a huge benefit that it combines storage and transport and therefore can be used as low weight battery replacement in mobility/transport vehicles.


Author: Gijs Graafland


Back to Technologies Index


Download the full Global Resources Analysis report in PDF