Oct 8, 2019 – Heinz J. Sturm on pv-magazine: Green and blue hydrogen from the OPEC states

(Convenience translation; citation: https://www.pv-magazine.de/2019/10/08/gruener-und-blauer-wasserstoff-aus-den-opec-staaten/)

Only with hydrogen can we save our climate and thus our world!

There is no alternative to using hydrogen for climate protection. Climate change and the resulting measures require a lot of effort, money and above all the right solutions. A meaningful project that is perceived worldwide as a model for complete technological change is therefore particularly important – and the „Bonn Climate Project“ and the CTC Bonn stand for this perfectly! We can already see major steps towards a hydrogen economy in Germany. Steps are good, but not enough, we need the implementation of a hydrogen economy – now!

The OPEC states are now challenged!

Now the OPEC states are challenged, especially the Gulf countries and North Africa; because without the supply of hydrogen from these countries the absolutely necessary immediate conversion to a hydrogen economy is not possible. These countries have the unique opportunity to supply Europe and the world with pure CO2-free hydrogen instead of (only) crude oil and natural gas, ultimately hydrocarbon fuels. This is possible from North Africa via the existing natural gas pipelines or from the Gulf countries using liquid hydrogen by tanker. The business model of the oil-exporting countries therefore does not need to change – only the proportion of green or blue hydrogen exports is increasing, as we in Germany and other EU countries want or have to do without coal combustion and substitute it with hydrogen. Instead of hydrocarbon fuels, the OPEC states will export pure hydrogen in the future. Everything can therefore remain with the old system.

Green hydrogen is hydrogen from electrolysis with electricity from renewable energies according to electricity criteria for green hydrogen or from biomass, produced in a certified green thermochemical or biological conversion process.

Blue hydrogen is climate-neutral hydrogen from natural gas with CO2 capture and storage.

The Gulf countries are the ideal future producers and suppliers of green hydrogen because of the very cheap production of electricity from solar power plants. The enormous demand for green hydrogen for transport, industry and housing cannot be met from the sources available in Germany and Europe. In this way, the Gulf countries can already now counter a possible price decline and loss of importance of crude oil and natural gas through steadily increasing electromobility and (over)compensate by supplying hydrogen.

Growing importance of hydrogen

An increasing importance of hydrogen as an energy carrier will inevitably lead to a market establishment of hydrogen technologies. Market establishment will in turn lead to a further increase in demand. The participation of the Gulf countries in this cycle has a socio-political and socio-economic dimension, as already stated by the author of „Hydrogen Economy for Arab Countries: Perspectives“:

„The Arab world faces major sustainability challenges in achieving social, economic and environmental goals. The hydrogen economy can help Arab governments, businesses and citizens save billions of dollars every year through lower energy costs and sustainable waste management, while reducing the carbon footprint – a win-win solution. An extremely dry climate, acute water shortages, high energy consumption and the pollution of the oil and gas industry present the Arab countries with a unique challenge. Almost one fifth of the Arab population depends on non-commercial fuels for various energy uses. All sectors of the economy – housing, commerce, transport, services and agriculture – demand modern energy services. Gaseous emissions from the exploration and combustion of fossil fuels pollute the atmosphere in the Arab world. Waste management has become a major environmental problem as mountains of waste accumulate in the major cities of the Arab world. In Arab countries, emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds are higher than in other countries.

More than 40 percent of the Arab population in poor rural and urban areas do not have sufficient access to energy services. It is also noted that almost one fifth of the Arab population depends on non-commercial fuels for different energy uses.

A look at the basic principles:

• Water is life, energy and fuel.
• Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
• Water transforms into hydrogen and oxygen and then back into water.
• Nothing gets lost in the world. Everything only changes its state and can be used again and again: from the solid to the liquid to the gaseous state. This is the hydrological and hydrogen cycle.
• Our energy is used in the form of oil, gas, coal or wood. All are hydrocarbon containing elements and compounds.
• Take away the carbon and use only hydrogen as CO2-free energy for universal use.

Against this background, I draw the following conclusion: The Gulf countries are already far ahead of most other nations due to their significant commitment to climate protection and can further strengthen their position by exporting hydrogen at low cost. If the Gulf countries now work in parallel with Germany and the EU on the introduction of a hydrogen economy and make joint efforts, this will be a great success. Then we can still save our climate – and with it our world.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator