Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Opportunities and Challenges for the New Hydrogen Economy: Advances in Renewable Hydrogen

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Transportation Systems Technology and Integrated Management

Part of the book series: Energy, Environment, and Sustainability ((ENENSU))

Abstract

In the last years, the pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions considerably increased, mainly due to the new policies to achieve an energy transition, contributing to climate change mitigation and minimization of the damage caused by global warming. This ongoing energy transition accelerated the search for new clean forms of energy production, such as those using renewable sources. Regarding the transportation sector, many research works are being conducted toward the use of renewable hydrogen, which is the denomination for the hydrogen produced by renewable and/or clean resources without CO2 emissions. Traditionally, hydrogen production is made from fossil fuels, mainly through natural gas reforming and coal gasification. However, the mastery and expansion of renewable sources technologies, and hence its cost reduction, have allowed their usage in the production of hydrogen through many different other processes, potentially contributing to a decarbonization of the global economy. Examples of such renewable sources are: renewable biomass and biofuels, solar photovoltaic, wind power energy, and hydroelectricity. This chapter aims to present an overview of the literature regarding the renewable hydrogen production routes, indicating: the different possible renewable sources and their respective participation in the production process, the most common method for producing renewable hydrogen and which route has become more affordable. Also, the current applications and possible markets for the hydrogen and its subproducts in the transportation sector are addressed. Finally, the important hurdles to produce renewable hydrogen and its derivatives, in addition to how they limit initiatives and investments in the technology, are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kakoulaki, G., et al.: Green hydrogen in Europe-a regional assessment: Substituting existing production with electrolysis powered by renewables. Energy Convers. Manag. 228 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Energy Transitions Outlook 2022: 1.5°C Pathway. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Global Hydrogen Review. International Energy Agency (IEA) (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chehade, Z., et al.: Review and analysis of demonstration projects on power-to-X pathways in the world. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 44, 27637–27655 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Produção e Consumo de Hidrogênio em Refinarias no Brasil 2022. Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, Rio de Janeiro (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  7. The role of renewable H2 import & storage to scale up the EU deployment of renewable H2. Energy Transition Expertise Centre (ENTEC) (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  8. The EU’s hydrogen strategy explores the potential for renewable hydrogen to help decarbonize the EU in a cost-effective way. Energy European Commission (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hidrogênio Renovável (Renewable Hydrogen). Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos (CGEE), Brasília (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Miranda, P.E.V.: Hydrogen energy. In: Miranda, P.E.V. (ed.) Science and Engineering of Hydrogen-Based Energy Technologies, 1st edn, pp. 1–38. Elsevier Academic Press (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Chi, J., Yu, H.: Water electrolysis based on renewable energy for hydrogen production. Chin. J. Catal. 39(3), 390–394 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Path to hydrogen competitiveness-A cost perspective, Hydrogen Council (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Godula-Jopek, A. (ed.): Hydrogen Production by Electrolysis, p. 259. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mohanty, P., Pant, K.K., Mittal, R.: Hydrogen generation from biomass materials: challenges and opportunities. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Energy Environ. 4, 139–155 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pal, D. B., Singh, A., Bhatnagar, A.: A review on biomass-based hydrogen production technologies. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Prakash, P., Narayanan, K.S.: Hydrogen production from steam gasification of biomass: influence of process parameters on hydrogen yield–a review. Renew. Energy 66, 570–579 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhibin, L., et al.: Steady state modelling of steam-gasification of biomass for H2-rich syngas production. Energy 238, 121616 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zeng, X., et al.: Recent progress in tar removal by char and the applications: A comprehensive analysis. Carbon Resour. Convers. 3, 1–18 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Shahbaz, M., et al.: A state of the art review on biomass processing and conversion technologies to produce hydrogen and its recovery via membrane separation. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 45(30), 15166–15195 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Rios, M.L.V., et al.: Reduction of tar generated during biomass gasification: a review. Biomass Bioenerg. 108, 345–370 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Demirbas, M.F.: Hydrogen from various biomass species via pyrolysis and steam gasification processes. Energy Sources Part A 28(3), 245–252 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kannah, R.Y., et al.: Techno-economic assessment of various hydrogen production methods–a review. Biores. Technol. 319, 124175 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Levin, D.B., Pitt, L., Love, M.: Biohydrogen production: prospects and limitations to practical application. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 29(2), 173–185 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hallenbeck, P.C., Yuan, L.: Recent advances in hydrogen production by photosynthetic bacteria. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 41(7), 4446–4454 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Eker, S., Meltem, S.: Hydrogen gas production from waste paper by dark fermentation: effects of initial substrate and biomass concentrations. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 42(4), 2562–2568 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Taipabu, M.I., et al.: A critical review of the hydrogen production biomass-based feedstocks: challenge, solution, and future prospect. Process Saf. Environ. Prot. (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Łukajtis, R., et al.: Hydrogen production from biomass using dark fermentation. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 91, 665–694 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lepage, T., Kammoun, M., Schmetz, Q., Richel, A.: Biomass-to-hydrogen: A review of main routes production, processes evaluation and techno-economical assessment. Biomass Bioenerg. 144, 105920 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-scheme-for-technologies-producing-hydrogen-from-biomass, UK Government. Accessed 08 July 2022

  30. IPCC: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Shukla, P.R., Skea, J., Slade, R., Al Khourdajie, A., van Diemen, R., McCollum, D., Pathak, M., Some, S., Vyas, P., Fradera, R., Belkacemi, M., Hasija, A., Lisboa, G., Luz, S., Malley, J. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Moriarty, P., Honnery, D.: Prospects for hydrogen as a transport fuel. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 44, 16029–16037 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Morrison, G., Stevens, J., Joseck, F.: Relative economic competitiveness of light-duty battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles. Transp. Res. Part C 87, 183–196 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Roadmap towards zero emissions-The complementary role of BEVs and FCEVs, Hydrogen Council (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Ajanovic, A., Glatt, A., Haas, R.: Prospects and impediments for hydrogen fuel cell buses. Energy 235, 121340 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Keller, V., Lyseng, B., Wade, C., Scholtysik, S., Fowler, M., Donald, J., Palmer-Wilson, K., Robertson, B., Wild, P., Rowe, A.: Electricity system and emission impact of direct and indirect electrification of heavy-duty transportation. Energy 172, 740–751 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. De Miranda, P.E.V., Carreira, E.S., Icardi, U.A., Nunes, G.S.: Brazilian hybrid electric-hydrogen fuel cell bus: improved on-board energy management system. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 42, 13949–13959 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Ruf, Y., Baum, M., Zorn, T., Menzel, A., Rehberger, J.: Fuel cells hydrogen trucks-heavy-duty’s high performance green solution. In: Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking & Roland Berger, Brussels (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Ruf, Y., Zorn, T., De Neve, P.A., Andrae, P., Erofeeva, S., Garrison, F., Schwilling, A.: Study on the use of fuel cells and hydrogen in the railway environment. In: Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking and Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking & Roland Berger, Luxembourg (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Piraino, F., Genovese, M., Fragiacomo, P.: Towards a new mobility concept for regional trains and hydrogen infrastructure. Energy Convers. Manage. 228, 113650 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Study of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for Rail Propulsion and Review of Relevant Industry Standards. U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Bacha, H., Bergek, A., Bjørgum, Ø., Hansen, T., Kenzhegaliyeva, A., Steen, M.: Implementing maritime battery-electric and hydrogen solutions: a technological innovation systems analysis. Transp. Res. Part D 87, 102492 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Van Hoecke, L., Laffineur, L., Campe, R., Perreault, P., Verbruggen, S.W., Lenaerts, S.: Challenges in the use of hydrogen for maritime applications. Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 815 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Energy Technology Perspectives 2020. International Energy Agency (IEA), France (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Scheelhaase, J., Maertens, S., Grimme, W.: Synthetic fuels in aviation—current barriers and potential political measures. Transp. Res. Procedia 43, 21–30 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Moreira dos Santos, R., Szklo, A., Lucena, A.F.P., Miranda, P.E.V.: Blue sky mining: strategy for a feasible transition in emerging countries from natural gas to hydrogen. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 46(51), 25843–25859 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Hydrogen insights: A perspective on hydrogen investment, market development and cost competitiveness. Hydrogen Council (2021)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This publication is a joint realization of UFRJ and the H2Brasil project. This project was agreed within the scope of the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development, through a partnership between the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Brazil and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). A. Coralli and P.E.V. de Miranda acknowledge financial support to research projects ICTIM 17/2021, FAPERJ E-26/210.803/2021 and E-26/210.485/2022.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22010-110, Brazil

    Laís Ferreira Crispino Proença, Alberto Coralli, Fabio Souza Toniolo, Gabriella Machado Darze, Gabriel dos Santos Ribeiro Heluey, Gabriele Freitas Martins, Ruan Carlos Vidal Rodrigues de Oliveira, Paulo Emílio Valadão de Miranda & Andrea Souza Santos

Authors
  1. Laís Ferreira Crispino Proença
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alberto Coralli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fabio Souza Toniolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gabriella Machado Darze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gabriel dos Santos Ribeiro Heluey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Gabriele Freitas Martins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ruan Carlos Vidal Rodrigues de Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Paulo Emílio Valadão de Miranda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Andrea Souza Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea Souza Santos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

    Ram Krishna Upadhyay

  2. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

    Sunil Kumar Sharma

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Vikram Kumar

  4. Engine Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Hardikk Valera

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Proença, L.F.C. et al. (2023). Opportunities and Challenges for the New Hydrogen Economy: Advances in Renewable Hydrogen. In: Upadhyay, R.K., Sharma, S.K., Kumar, V., Valera, H. (eds) Transportation Systems Technology and Integrated Management. Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1517-0_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1517-0_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-99-1516-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-99-1517-0

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation