TotalEnergies: Green Hydrogen for Decarbonisation

Hydrogen's potential as a sustainable fuel source is gathering momentum as industries seek alternatives to fossil fuels.

When combusted, hydrogen produces water instead of CO₂: a characteristic that positions it as a key element in decarbonisation strategies.

It can be used directly in engines or to generate electricity in fuel cells, making it a versatile energy carrier. Recognising this potential, governments and trade blocs like the EU are actively developing hydrogen strategies to increase production and adoption.

The industry categorises hydrogen using a colour code system.

These codes signify the production method, with green hydrogen being produced using clean energy and grey hydrogen relying on fossil fuels.

Understanding hydrogen production methods

The most common method for producing grey hydrogen is steam reforming, which involves extracting hydrogen gas from natural gas.

This process releases considerable amounts of CO₂ as a byproduct. Another method, known as autothermal reforming, uses oxygen and carbon monoxide and also results in carbon emissions.

Blue hydrogen uses these same processes but incorporates carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to trap the CO₂ emissions, preventing them from entering the atmosphere.

Green hydrogen is produced using clean energy sources through a process called electrolysis. In this method, electricity from renewable sources like wind or solar power is used to split water into its constituent elements, hydrogen and oxygen.

Growing demand and strategic industrial applications

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Global Hydrogen Review 2024, demand for hydrogen has more than tripled since 1975.

The report also notes that demand for low-emissions hydrogen saw a growth of almost 10% in 2023.

This rising demand is set against a backdrop of global climate commitments.

The United Nations states that as of June 2024, 107 countries that account for approximately 82% of greenhouse gas emissions have adopted net zero pledges.

Hydrogen could be key in meeting these targets, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as long-haul transportation, chemicals, iron and steel.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) projects that hydrogen could meet 12% of final energy demand by 2050.

A 2020 PwC report further estimates that the global demand for green hydrogen could reach 530 million tonnes by 2050, creating an export market worth an estimated US$300bn annually.

Major industrial players are already investing in hydrogen projects.

TotalEnergies and Air Liquide have partnered with a combined investment of over €1bn to develop large-scale electrolysers for producing low-carbon hydrogen to decarbonise their refineries in Northern Europe.

Emilie Mouren-Renouard, Air Liquide’s Group Vice President for Europe, Africa, Middle-East and India, says: “We are proud to lead the way on European renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production and to accompany TotalEnergies in their journey to decarbonising their industrial assets.

In Germany, BASF and Siemens are collaborating on a green hydrogen project that aims to produce up to a tonne of green hydrogen per hour.

The potential for specific manufacturing sectors is also being recognised. Alex Richards, Vice President & Regional Segment Leader at Schneider Electric, believes green hydrogen could be crucial for the UK's steel industry.

He says: "Producing DRI [Direct Reduced Iron] using green hydrogen can result in over a 95% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to steel produced with coal. "This presents an opportunity to sustain a steel industry with much less environmental impact".

Overcoming hydrogen's commercialisation hurdles

Despite its potential, hydrogen faces major challenges before it can be widely adopted.

According to the US Department of Energy, liquid hydrogen has a volumetric energy density of 8MJ/L, which is only a quarter of that of gasoline at 32MJ/L.

This means a much larger volume of hydrogen is required to produce the same amount of energy necessitating more sophisticated storage solutions like cryogenic methods or high-pressure tanks.

Furthermore, the production of green hydrogen is currently limited. IRENA reports that only 1% of the current global hydrogen output comes from renewable sources.

Scaling up green hydrogen production requires substantial investment in renewable energy plants, electrolyser storage methods and the development of distribution and refuelling infrastructure.

These factors make hydrogen projects highly capital-intensive.

Substantial investment is needed to make hydrogen an accessible and economically viable fuel for industrial and consumer use.

Therefore optimising the entire hydrogen supply chain could be a critical factor in establishing hydrogen as a cornerstone of the future energy landscape.