How Green Hydrogen Could End The Fossil Fuel Era | Vaitea Cowan | TED

TL;DR

Discover how green hydrogen, generated through water electrolysis, can tackle climate change and revolutionize energy consumption by providing clean molecules for industries and sectors currently powered by fossil fuels.

Transcript

We're going on a field trip together. We're going back to middle school, to chemistry class. Do you remember this? It was an experiment we did with salt water, a battery and two pencils. Guess what? The reaction you witnessed then is a key to tackling climate change. Yes, at 14 years old, we already knew. And today, we have the means to replace fos... Read More

Key Insights

• 💡 Green hydrogen, created through water electrolysis using renewable electricity, is a key solution to tackling climate change. It is 100% clean and can replace fossil fuels in various sectors including industry and transportation.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the experiment called that can create green hydrogen?

The experiment is called water electrolysis. It involves using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O), resulting in green hydrogen.

Q: Why is green hydrogen needed?

Green hydrogen is necessary because the majority of our global energy consumption is in the form of molecules, not just electricity. Industries like steel production and aviation rely on molecules for their processes, and these industries cannot be fully electrified. Green hydrogen provides a clean alternative to fossil fuels in these sectors.

Q: How does green hydrogen contribute to reducing CO2 emissions?

By replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen, we can significantly reduce CO2 emissions. For example, in the steel industry, the traditional process emits CO2 because it uses coal as a molecule to remove oxygen. Green hydrogen-based steel production processes can eliminate up to 95 percent of CO2 emissions in this industry.

Q: What is the advantage of using green hydrogen in various applications?

Green hydrogen is an extremely versatile energy carrier. It can be used as a fuel, emitting zero carbon emissions when combusted directly. It can also be transformed into hydrogen-derived fuels like green ammonia and green methanol, which can be used in global shipping. Additionally, it can be stored for long periods without losing energy, making it a reliable source of power.

Q: Why is mass production of electrolyzers important for scaling green hydrogen?

Mass production of electrolyzers is crucial for scaling green hydrogen because it allows for cost reduction and rapid deployment. Rather than focusing on building larger electrolyzers, Enapter, for instance, is designing compact electrolyzers that can be easily combined to achieve any hydrogen quantity needed. By standardizing and mass-producing electrolyzers, the price of green hydrogen can be driven down, making it more competitive than fossil fuels.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Green hydrogen, created through water electrolysis using renewable electricity, is a clean and versatile energy carrier that can replace fossil fuels.

• Green hydrogen is necessary to decarbonize industries and sectors that cannot be easily electrified, such as steel production and aviation.

• Enapter is focused on mass producing compact and standardized electrolyzers to scale green hydrogen production and make it cheaper than fossil fuels.