From Renewable Energy to Renewable Fuel: A Sustainable Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel and the universal energy vector, can be easily produced from many different energy sources. It is a storable, transportable product that can be used on demand to overcome supply and demand imbalances. As of today, most of the hydrogen produced comes from natural gas; the production process itself is in fact not so pollution free. As the world is looking for a low carbon future, researchers have therefore been looking for more sustainable, environmentally friendly pathways of hydrogen production by using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Among the different methods, water electrolysis is a conventional and promising method of hydrogen production if renewable energy sources are to be employed in the process. Lots of progress has been made over the past few years in extending the use of hydrogen in different sectors. This perspective article briefly covers the recent developments in the hydrogen fuel-based projects and technologies and provides a description of the advantages of employing renewable energy sources for sustainable hydrogen production.