The Long Road Ahead: Challenges Facing The Hydrogen Economy

By Author: Pratik
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HYDROGEN BUSINESS CHALLENGES

The Promise and Peril of Hydrogen

Though the hydrogen economy has taken a while to emerge, hydrogen has long been hailed as the clean fuel of the future. Governments and businesses are now investing heavily in hydrogen, but the sector still faces a number of significant obstacles.

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Production Hurdles

The majority of hydrogen produced today comes from steam methane reforming, which is done with natural gas. Although this process negates the benefit of hydrogen as a clean fuel, it is less expensive than splitting hydrogen from water using renewable energy. It is still costly to increase the production of green hydrogen.

Storage Difficulties

Since hydrogen is the lightest element, storing it can be challenging. A significant amount of energy is needed to compress or liquefy hydrogen. Large-scale long-term storage of it still presents a logistical challenge.

Distribution Roadblocks

Transporting hydrogen from production facilities to end users requires very little ...
... infrastructure. The construction of trucks and pipelines to handle hydrogen will cost enormous sums of money.

Regulatory Uncertainty

Different regions have different hydrogen codes, standards, and laws. In order to promote investment and give business certainty, clearer policy frameworks are required.

Consumer Hesitation

Because of its association with the Hindenburg disaster, the public may be wary of hydrogen. Persuading people that it is safe is necessary for acceptance.

In order to fully realize hydrogen's potential, companies that have placed significant bets on the gas's role in the energy transition must overcome these obstacles. Strong regulations, public-private collaborations, and additional technological advancements can utilize this plentiful component in the construction of the clean economy.

Here are some key business challenges facing the hydrogen industry:

High production costs: At the moment, natural gas is used to produce the majority of hydrogen since it is less expensive than splitting water with renewable electricity. However, this procedure negates the benefit of clean hydrogen. It is still costly to increase the production of green hydrogen.
Lack of infrastructure: Hydrogen distribution and transportation have very little infrastructure. It will cost a lot of money to build trucks, storage facilities, pipelines, and refueling stations.
Unclear regulations: Regional variations and ongoing development can be seen in the codes, standards, and laws pertaining to the use, storage, and transportation of hydrogen. To ensure business certainty, more policy support is required.
Safety concerns: The perception of hydrogen as hazardous is enduring because of events such as the Hindenburg catastrophe. Consumer confidence requires large-scale safe practice demonstration and public education.
Competing priorities: Governments that support hydrogen and electrification at the same time send conflicting messages about policy. For industry to receive clear demand signals, a more cohesive approach is needed.
Competition with fossil fuels: As hydrogen grows, it needs to become as affordable as established, but dirtier, fossil fuel incumbents like natural gas. Fairness would be improved with a carbon price.
Overcoming these interlinked challenges requires strong policy frameworks, public-private partnerships, research and development, and public engagement to realize hydrogen's potential as a versatile clean energy carrier.

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