Hydrogen

Hydrogen, the emergence of a clean energy

“Native”, “natural”, “white” or “geological”, hydrogen is produced naturally in the ground, without external energy. Natural hydrogen provides an additional solution to the low carbon hydrogen mix.

What is hydrogen?

What are its characteristics?

Abundant

Hydrogen is the most widespread element in the universe, main constituent of the sun and most of the stars.

Natural

Its pure form, di-hydrogen, is being created naturally by chemical reactions in the earth’s crust.

Rarely alone

Hydrogen is mostly associated with other elements to form molecules (water, methane, starch, sugar, alcohol, etc.)

The lightest

It is the smallest and lightest element – 14 times lighter than air – making it highly volatile.

An energy

Natural hydrogen contains 3 times more energy than gasoline.

Non-toxic and odourless​

Its pure form, di-hydrogen is invisible, odorless and non-toxic.

The hydrogen market in Europe

H₂ production sources in Europe

No Data Found

Source: economie.gouv.fr, France Hydrogèene (AFHYPAC), IHS Markit, Les Echos

Hydrogen uses

Hydrogen and its main production methods

Produced from subsurface​

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Produced from subsurface

Hydrogen is naturally produced on the planet and is the most abundant element on Earth. Hydrogen extracted from the subsurface is known as white hydrogen or natural hydrogen. 

This process differs from all other production methods in that it allows us to benefit from low-carbon hydrogen, at very competitive costs, which requires no water, no anthropogenic energy and no critical raw materials to produce.

It is this kind of hydrogen that 45-8 ENERGY intends to explore and produce.

By steam reforming of hydrocarbons

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By steam reforming of hydrocarbons

Most hydrogen consumed today is being produced from natural gas (CH4). The "steam reforming" process breaks down the methane molecule to recover the hydrogen that makes it up using steam. 

However, this process also generates carbon dioxide. We call grey hydrogen when the CO2 generated is released into the atmosphere without recovery and blue hydrogen when the carbon dioxide produced is captured et valued. 

45-8 ENERGY plans to transform directly on its production sites, any methane fractions that might be associated with helium and natural hydrogen in the subsurface into blue hydrogen.

By water electrolysis

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By water electrolysis

As part of the European strategy for the development of low-carbon hydrogen, initiatives to manufacture hydrogen are being emerging. 

This electrochemical reaction, called "water electrolysis", splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using a large amount of electricity. 

We call green hydrogen when the electricity used for this process comes from renewable energies, pink hydrogen when it comes from nuclear energy and yellow hydrogen when it comes from solar energy or other sources.

By coal gasification

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By coal gasification

This is the oldest process used to produce hydrogen on an industrial scale. Gasification converts the carbonaceous elements in coal, both organic and fossil, into hydrogen, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) through a thermochemical treatment using steam. 

The hydrogen is then separated from the other elements by means of specific absorbers or membranes. We talk about black or brown hydrogen, depending on the type of coal used. 

This technique is extremely polluting as the CO2 and the CO generated cannot be reused and are released into the atmosphere.

Hydrogen from geological sources for 45-8 ENERGY

45-8 ENERGY has a strong interest in hydrogen of geological origin, originating and generated from the subsurface. We are exploring:

Native Hydrogen

Native hydrogen is produced naturally in the subsurface. Its formation requires no critical materials, no anthropogenic energy and does not impact the available water resource.

Native hydrogen is still little known and yet it appears to be a complementary solution to other low-carbon hydrogen production processes, an essential pillar in the energy transition we are experiencing.

To date, several potential areas have been identified by 45-8 ENERGY. This is the case, for example, with our application for an exploration permit, currently under investigation, in Kosovo.

Local blue hydrogen

In some geological contexts, helium and natural hydrogen can sometimes be associated with methane.

Considering the climatic urgency and the sovereignty regarding the production of strategic resources, 45-8 ENERGY envisages the transformation on site of these possible fractions of methane into blue hydrogen, thanks to the process of “vaporeforming”.

The carbon dioxide generated by this process will be captured and purified to supply local consumer industries (food industry, dry ice manufacturers, fire-fighting, etc.), in a market that is also tight.

To date, 45-8 ENERGY is evaluating this possibility of producing local hydrogen on site, always with the will to co-value the resources (helium, methane and carbon dioxide). This is the case, for example, in Brandenburg with the Guhlen II project, where local blue hydrogen production could be envisaged (if the exploration licence is approved by the local authorities).

Hydrogen in few figures

It is, in terawatt-hours, the hydrogen consumption of Germany in 2020.
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It is, in terawatt-hours, the estimated hydrogen consumption of Germany in 2030.
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This is the budget, in billions of euros, for the German hydrogen plan to develop the sector.
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It is, in millions of tons, the amount of CO2 emissions avoided in Germany by 2030, thanks to the hydrogen plan.
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It is the number of jobs created by 2030 in the German hydrogen industry.
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It is the distance in km that a car can travel with 1kg of hydrogen.
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It is, in terawatt-hours, the hydrogen consumption of Germany in 2020.
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It is, in terawatt-hours, the estimated hydrogen consumption of Germany in 2030.
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This is the budget, in billions of euros, for the German hydrogen plan to develop the sector.
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It is, in millions of tons, the amount of CO2 emissions avoided in Germany by 2030, thanks to the hydrogen plan.
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It is the number of jobs created by 2030 in the German hydrogen industry.
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It is the distance in km that a car can travel with 1kg of hydrogen.
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Source: Opportunities for Hydrogen Energy Technologies considering the National Energy & Climate Plans, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen, 2020