Hydrogen (H₂), in its natural state, is a colorless and odorless gas. As a fuel, it is one of the most promising forms of energy in the modern world. There are numerous methods for its production, with the most prevalent being steam methane reforming and water electrolysis. In terms of its consumption, sectors such as air, sea, and road transport, chemical industries, and cement and steel factories are just a few of the economic areas that will benefit from reduced emissions due to its widespread use.
The Role of Hydrogen
Hydrogen can play an important role in reducing emissions in sectors that are difficult to get rid of atmospheric pollutant emissions, in particular as a fuel in transport applications (heavy road transport, buses, rail and sea transport, etc.) and as fuel or raw material in certain industrial processes (steelmaking, refining or chemical industries – including the production of “green fertilizers” for agriculture). Carbon dioxide reacted with hydrogen can also be further processed into synthetic fuels, such as synthetic kerosene, to reduce emissions in the aviation sector.
“Green” hydrogen produced through electrolysis using electricity from renewable sources can play an important role in the integrated European energy market, since it can facilitate the integration of large shares of intermittent renewable energy generation, decongesting the electricity grids at times of excess generation and providing long-term storage and balancing in the power system.
Both at national and European level, hydrogen is at the core of the transition towards a more viable and sustainable future and at DESFA we are committed to making every possible effort in this direction.