8 Water electrolysis as an environmentally friendly source of hydrogen
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Martin Paidar
Abstract
Water electrolysis is an interesting example of a technology that had to wait for more than century before it was rediscovered as an important component of hydrogen production technologies. The renewed interest in this technology is mainly connected with the increasing share of energy demands covered by renewable sources with an intermittent production performance. Recently, this interest has experienced a further boost by the ambitious plan to decarbonize the European economy, including not only energy and transportation, but also industry. It quickly became evident that the role of water electrolysis is unique on account of the direct conversion of green, renewable electrical energy into the chemical energy of hydrogen. The current efforts invested in research and development in this field have resulted in rapid improvements of existing technologies, especially the alkaline process, as well as the implementation of a novel one, the proton-exchange membrane option of this process, and the development of new approaches. The last option is represented by high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis and co-electrolysis. This chapter aims to provide a fundamental overview of these technologies, their current state of the art, as well as of the remaining challenges.
Abstract
Water electrolysis is an interesting example of a technology that had to wait for more than century before it was rediscovered as an important component of hydrogen production technologies. The renewed interest in this technology is mainly connected with the increasing share of energy demands covered by renewable sources with an intermittent production performance. Recently, this interest has experienced a further boost by the ambitious plan to decarbonize the European economy, including not only energy and transportation, but also industry. It quickly became evident that the role of water electrolysis is unique on account of the direct conversion of green, renewable electrical energy into the chemical energy of hydrogen. The current efforts invested in research and development in this field have resulted in rapid improvements of existing technologies, especially the alkaline process, as well as the implementation of a novel one, the proton-exchange membrane option of this process, and the development of new approaches. The last option is represented by high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis and co-electrolysis. This chapter aims to provide a fundamental overview of these technologies, their current state of the art, as well as of the remaining challenges.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Series editor preface VII
- About the series editor IX
- Contents XI
- List of contributors XXI
- Hydrogen: Presents Accomplishments and Far-Reaching Promises 1
-
Forewords
- Foreword 9
- Foreword 15
-
Extended Introductions
- Hydrogen: why the times to scale have come 29
- Hydrogen key to a carbon-free energy system 43
- The European hydrogen strategy 105
- Introduction to the hydrogen books 117
- Geopolitics of hydrogen 127
-
Volume I: Hydrogen production and energy transition
- 1 An overview of today’s industrial processes to make hydrogen and future developments’ trend 137
- 2 Catalytic autothermal reforming for hydrogen production: from large-scale plant to distributed energy system 171
- 3 An overview of recent works on Ni silica-based catalysts for the dry reforming of methane 193
- 4 CO2 hydrogenation by plasma-assisted catalysis for fuel production: power-to-gas application 213
- 5 Development perspective for green hydrogen production 251
- 6 Hydrogen production from biomass pyrolysis 279
- 7 Gasification of biomass and plastic waste 303
- 8 Water electrolysis as an environmentally friendly source of hydrogen 331
- 9 Electrolysis for coupling the production of pure hydrogen and the valorization of organic wastes 359
- 10 Renewable power-to-hydrogen systems and sector coupling power-mobility 381
- 11 Photoelectrocatalytic H2 production: current and future challenges 401
- 12 Biological water splitting 427
- 13 Fuel processing for fuel cells and energyrelated applications 469
- 14 Emergent-based well-being design for a hydrogen-based community: social acceptance and societal evolution for novel hydrogen technology 493
- 15 Eni’s projects in Italy for hydrogen production 519
- Conclusions and Recommendations: “The Future of Hydrogen” 543
- Index 551
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Series editor preface VII
- About the series editor IX
- Contents XI
- List of contributors XXI
- Hydrogen: Presents Accomplishments and Far-Reaching Promises 1
-
Forewords
- Foreword 9
- Foreword 15
-
Extended Introductions
- Hydrogen: why the times to scale have come 29
- Hydrogen key to a carbon-free energy system 43
- The European hydrogen strategy 105
- Introduction to the hydrogen books 117
- Geopolitics of hydrogen 127
-
Volume I: Hydrogen production and energy transition
- 1 An overview of today’s industrial processes to make hydrogen and future developments’ trend 137
- 2 Catalytic autothermal reforming for hydrogen production: from large-scale plant to distributed energy system 171
- 3 An overview of recent works on Ni silica-based catalysts for the dry reforming of methane 193
- 4 CO2 hydrogenation by plasma-assisted catalysis for fuel production: power-to-gas application 213
- 5 Development perspective for green hydrogen production 251
- 6 Hydrogen production from biomass pyrolysis 279
- 7 Gasification of biomass and plastic waste 303
- 8 Water electrolysis as an environmentally friendly source of hydrogen 331
- 9 Electrolysis for coupling the production of pure hydrogen and the valorization of organic wastes 359
- 10 Renewable power-to-hydrogen systems and sector coupling power-mobility 381
- 11 Photoelectrocatalytic H2 production: current and future challenges 401
- 12 Biological water splitting 427
- 13 Fuel processing for fuel cells and energyrelated applications 469
- 14 Emergent-based well-being design for a hydrogen-based community: social acceptance and societal evolution for novel hydrogen technology 493
- 15 Eni’s projects in Italy for hydrogen production 519
- Conclusions and Recommendations: “The Future of Hydrogen” 543
- Index 551
