The green hydrogen revolution has an energy problem. For years, green hydrogen – the industry term for hydrogen produced from renewable and clean energies – has been touted as a silver-bullet solution for hard-to-decarbonize industries. But producing green hydrogen is energy-intensive, making it a pricey endeavor that is often suboptimal in terms of efficient resource use.
If he’s right, the pursuit and production of white hydrogen could turn the clean energy industry on its head. Currently, many scientists are pinning their hopes on green hydrogen to help clean up heavy industries that are extremely difficult to decarbonize. Because hydrogen is combustible and burns at a very high heat like fossil fuels, it could be used to fuel industries such as steelmaking and shipping. But unlike fossil fuels, green hydrogen leaves behind only water vapor when it is burned.