Hydrogen does not occur naturally and must be made from natural gas, biomass or with electricity. This makes hydrogen an energy carrier, but is it efficient?
Energy carrier without CO2
There is a clear advantage to using hydrogen as an energy carrier instead of, for example, natural gas, gasoline, or diesel fuel. No CO2 or other emissions are released when hydrogen is burned or converted into electricity in a fuel cell.
Electricity versus hydrogen
Where electricity suffices as an energy carrier, there is obviously no reason to turn it into hydrogen first. For certain applications however, there are certainly good reasons to use electricity to produce hydrogen as an energy carrier.
Hydrogen from green electricity
Hydrogen made with green electricity has the advantage of no carbon dioxide emissions and infinite, renewable energy. Hydrogen made in this way, is of interest for numerous applications.
Energy carrier for…
For example, higher temperatures can be achieved with hydrogen. Trucks can drive further on hydrogen than with energy from a battery. That battery is also heavy, which limits the loading weight. For the same reason, hydrogen is a better option for aircrafts than batteries. They can make long-distance flights more easily with the light hydrogen. Fuel cells can convert hydrogen into power for the electric aircraft engines. (In more detail, see FAQ 7)
