Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element in the universe. Even so, there are no natural reserves of hydrogen on Earth. For this reason, it can be produced from fossil fuels or renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power.
In the second option, the process is much more complex and is based on electrolysis, which consists of breaking down water molecules (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2) using an electric current.
This is where so-called green hydrogen comes in. When used as a fuel, it burns cleanly and efficiently, producing only water vapour. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), this solution saves up to 830 million tonnes of CO2 every year compared to hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, so-called ‘traditional’ hydrogen. However, this production process is very expensive.
(Source: Galp)
