The Impact of Hydrogen Production on Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies

Hydrogen production plays a vital role in advancing and integrating carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, as it offers great potential for carbon emission mitigation. The synergy between CCS and hydrogen production is crucial in decarbonizing energy systems to advance toward a low-carbon economy and promote cleaner fuel production.

As CCS becomes a more viable method to address climate change challenges, it is important to understand the key aspects of how hydrogen production and CCS technology intersect. Equally important is having ample insight into the challenges stakeholders must address to fully realize its potential for achieving global carbon neutrality goals.

Hydrogen Production and Its Environmental Significance

Hydrogen production generates hydrogen gas (H₂) from natural gas or fossil fuels. Often, the goal is to use hydrogen as a clean energy carrier or fuel. Common production methods of hydrogen include:

• Steam methane reforming (SMR): In SMR, natural gas like methane and CH₄ react with H₂O steam at temperatures between 700 and 1000 degrees Celsius in the presence of a catalyst that produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
• Electrolysis: During electrolysis, technicians split hydrogen from water using an electric current. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis uses a PEM electrolyzer with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. Alkaline electrolysis is an alternative method that uses an alkaline electrolyte solution like potassium hydroxide as the conductive medium.
• Biomass gasification: Biomass materials like wood chips, agricultural residues and municipal solid waste are gasified to create a synthesis gas (syngas). It combines carbon monoxide, hydrogen and other gases, where the hydrogen separates from the syngas through purification methods.
• Solar and wind-based electrolysis: Renewable energy from solar photovoltaic or wind turbines can power the electrolysis processes to produce green hydrogen with minimal carbon emissions.

Specifically, producing hydrogen from renewable sources offers notable environmental benefits:

• Fewer greenhouse gas emissions: Hydrogen that comes from renewable sources or through CCS technology significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• Improved air quality: Using hydrogen as a clean energy carrier in combustion engines or fuel cells does not generate harmful air pollutants. These pollutants are often volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
• Energy storage and grid balancing: Hydrogen can be a versatile energy storage medium that converts excess renewable electricity from sources like wind and solar through electrolysis. The stored hydrogen is used for heating or power generation during high-demand periods to support grid stability.
• Decarbonization: Hydrogen is useful in sectors that are difficult to electrify, like aviation and shipping. Hydrogen replaces fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions.
• Circular economy: Biomass gasification in particular uses organic waste materials, forestry byproducts or agricultural residues, which promotes a circular economy approach by lowering waste disposal burdens.

Hydrogen production is one key element in the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. Achieving this goal with a hydrogen economy is only possible when carbon dioxide (CO₂) is indefinitely isolated using CCS technology.

Understanding the Spectrum of Hydrogen: Gray, Blue and Green

The hydrogen spectrum refers to various production methods that affect carbon emissions and, ultimately, the environmental impact associated with hydrogen production. Understanding these differences, along with hydrogen production and its impacts, helps policymakers, stakeholders and industries select the method that best aligns with their environmental sustainability goals.

Gray Hydrogen

SMR produces gray hydrogen, which releases significant amounts of CO₂ into the atmosphere. Despite this, gray hydrogen dominates global production, with about 90 million tons consumed a year.

Blue Hydrogen

While blue or low-carbon hydrogen is also produced through SMR, using CCS technologies that capture and store CO₂ emissions creates negative emissions. This method’s low carbon footprint makes it a valuable transitional step towards clean hydrogen production.

Green Hydrogen

Electrolysis produces green hydrogen from surplus renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. It splits water into hydrogen with an electrochemical reaction, resulting in zero carbon emissions. It is the cleanest, most environmentally friendly form of hydrogen production, making it more cost-competitive than other methods.

Economic and Technical Challenges in Hydrogen Production

Research and development, public-private partnerships, supportive policies and collaborative initiatives are essential to addressing hydrogen production’s challenges and unlocking hydrogen’s full potential as a clean, sustainable energy carrier.

Examples of hydrogen production considerations include:

Infrastructure Constraints

The energy infrastructure for hydrogen production is geographically limited. One necessary infrastructure change is to develop a more widespread network of hydrogen refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles and industrial users. Establishing hydrogen pipelines and distribution networks to transport the hydrogen between production facilities and end-users will also require significant investment, planning, safety measures and regulations.

High Cost

Hydrogen production is generally costly and energy-intensive,  However, the more this technology is utilized and optimized, the more cost-effective it will become. Large hydrogen production facilities can also benefit from economies of scale, which reduces production costs per hydrogen unit. Government incentives and supportive policies like carbon pricing mechanisms and subsidies will also encourage private investment in this technology, resulting in better public acceptance and market growth.

Technical Challenges

Hydrogen production methods have various efficiencies in converting energy inputs into hydrogen. Each step in the conversion process leads to energy loss, which can ultimately make decarbonization more challenging. Another technical component that could benefit from improvement is the durability and performance of catalysts, electrolysis cells, membranes and other production process components. Growth in this area will help reduce energy losses in this production method.

Safety and Expertise

Hydrogen, a highly flammable element, demands special handling and storage. Safety engineers are necessary to address and uphold safety requirements, and government agencies are needed to enforce new regulatory frameworks for handling hydrogen. CCS also has certain safety considerations that must be understood and addressed.

The Connection Between Hydrogen Production and Carbon Capture Technologies

Carbon capture, use and storage technology can capture over 90% of CO₂ emissions from industrial facilities. The synergy between hydrogen production and CCS technology is a promising strategy to transition toward enhancing energy sustainability.

CCS technology captures CO₂ emissions in one of three ways:

1. Post-combustion: During post-combustion capture, an amine-based solvent absorbs CO₂ from the flue gas steam to create a CO₂-rich solvent.  
2. Pre-combustion: Pre-combustion techniques are used in gasification processes where a fuel is partially oxidized. The CO₂ separates through a shift reaction, converting CO into CO₂.
3. Oxy-fuel combustion: In oxy-fuel combustion capture, fuel burns in a high-purity oxygen environment, which creates a flue gas stream. Absorption technology is used to capture the CO₂ directly from the flue gas stream.

The Impacts of Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production

Low-carbon production methods focus on lowering or eliminating the carbon emissions associated with hydrogen production processes. The impact of hydrogen production on carbon emissions varies, as some production methods offer better carbon alternatives or have a lower emissions footprint.

Generally, using production methods like SMR, biomass gasification and electrolysis has the following impacts:

• Energy transition: Shifting toward low-carbon hydrogen allows industries and sectors that rely on high-emission fuels to transition to cleaner energy sources that support their sustainable development goals.
• Climate mitigation: Low-carbon hydrogen production methods can lower greenhouse gas emissions to support climate change mitigation efforts and meet global emission reduction targets.
• International collaboration: Hydrogen production can encourage global collaboration on clean energy technologies, international climate change agreements and energy security to promote a more resilient, greener energy future.
• Technological innovation: Investing in low-carbon hydrogen technologies helps drive innovation in renewable energy, hydrogen infrastructure and carbon capture technologies, which fosters economic growth and job creation.

The Role of Hydrogen Production in Complementing Decarbonization Pathways

Low-carbon hydrogen production plays a multifaceted role in decarbonizing industries like manufacturing, power generation and transportation by offering a clean alternative to fossil fuels. Additionally, hydrogen offers advantages in the following areas:

• Decarbonizing industrial processes: Cement production, steelmaking and chemical manufacturing rely on fossil fuels, which emit significant CO₂ emissions. Hydrogen can replace these fossil fuels, as it is a clean energy carrier. Industrial sectors can also transition to hydrogen-powered processes or use it as a feedstock for clean production pathways.
• Energy storage and grid balancing: Storing hydrogen can balance intermittence in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. During periods of low demand, excess electricity can produce hydrogen through electrolysis, which can be converted back into electricity or used as a fuel. This process helps overcome the challenges of renewable energy intermittency, supporting energy resilience and grid stability.
• Heating and building decarbonization: Hydrogen can assist heating applications in buildings through fuel cells or directly in hydrogen boilers for combined heat and power (CHP) systems, replacing natural gas used for heating. 
• Transportation sector transformation: Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen-powered buses are zero-emission mobility solutions for heavy-duty, long-range transportation. A hydrogen refueling infrastructure and hydrogen-powered vehicles can speed up the transition to zero-emission transportation, reducing fossil-fuel dependence in the transportation sector.
• Global energy transition: Producing and using hydrogen aligns with global climate goals, like those outlined in the Paris Agreement. International collaborations in this infrastructure will help to scale up hydrogen production plants, integrating this technology into worldwide decarbonization pathways.

Navigating What’s Ahead for Hydrogen Production and Carbon Capture

Supporting hydrogen production and carbon capture for future use demands a strategic approach that addresses policy frameworks, technological advancements, international collaboration and market dynamics.

• Investment in research and development: Research and development investments will improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and scalability of hydrogen production methods. These innovations must include material and catalyst enhancements and cross-sectoral collaborations to integrate hydrogen production and CCS with renewable energy sources for optimized energy systems.
• Market deployment and infrastructure development: Infrastructure improvement through production facilities and distribution networks will help promote cross-sectoral integration and leverage hydrogen versatility as an energy carrier. The development of these infrastructures requires public-private partnership collaborations between research institutions, governments, industry players and civil society.
• Policy and regulatory support: Financial incentives, tax credits and funding programs will spur private investment in CCS infrastructure, low-carbon hydrogen production and related technologies. Establishing carbon pricing mechanisms and regulatory standards that incentivize decarbonization efforts is also vital. Finally, developing clear technology roadmaps will guide long-term planning and stakeholder investment decisions.
• Public awareness and acceptance: Stakeholders must conduct public awareness campaigns and educational programs to enhance the public’s understanding of hydrogen technologies, CCS benefits and the role of clean energy in achieving sustainability goals. It is also prudent to involve local communities in project planning and benefits-sharing mechanisms where hydrogen production will add to job creation.
• Continuous monitoring and evaluation: It is essential to develop and monitor key performance indicators, economic indicators and environmental metrics to track project progress, identify bottlenecks, evaluate technology readiness and influence adaptive management strategies.

FAQs on Hydrogen Production and Its Impact on Carbon Capture and Storage

These frequently asked questions provide additional insights into the key aspects, benefits, challenges and examples of hydrogen production and its impact on CCS.

• How much does hydrogen production cost? Cost analysis in hydrogen production depends on the hydrogen production method involved. For example, SMR technology has an 85% efficiency rate with a production cost of $2.27 per hydrogen unit.
• Why is hydrogen production important? Hydrogen can support sustainability efforts in the power generation, energy storage and transportation industries, making a positive impact on decarbonization efforts.
• Why is it beneficial to integrate hydrogen production with CCS? Integrating CCS technologies with hydrogen production to capture and store CO₂ helps to lower greenhouse gas emissions. It promotes sustainable industrial practices and facilitates the transition to cleaner energy systems.
• What are some examples of projects that combine hydrogen production with CCS? There are several projects worldwide that integrate hydrogen production with CCS. These include the Ravenna Hub CCS project, the CCS feasibility project in Kinsale by Gas Network Ireland and Ervia, and the Northern Lights project in Norway.

Join TRC Companies in Advancing Sustainable Energy Solutions

As the world transitions toward cleaner, more sustainable energy systems, the impact of hydrogen production on CCS technologies becomes more relevant. Successfully using this technology to promote clean fuel production and decarbonize energy systems means stakeholders must address challenges like infrastructure development, cost and scalability.

TRC is a global consulting, construction management and engineering firm. For over 50 years, we have provided environmentally focused, digitally powered solutions to various industries, including real estate, transportation, power and utilities and governments.

Our team is focused on hydrogen as a solution in the future of decarbonization, facilitating an array of advanced energy projects involving hydrogen creation and storage, along with other renewables. With our level of expertise and insight into the industry, TRC is here to support your organization in its pursuit of achieving sustainable solutions.

Contact us today to find out how our renewable energy development, technical resources and infrastructure solutions can boost your business’s sustainability goals.