Green VS Gray VS Blue hydrogen
There are many ‘colors’ of hydrogen – each referring to how it is produced:
- Green hydrogen is the only variety produced in a climate-neutral manner, using renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, through a process called electrolysis. Electrolysis involves splitting water molecules (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) using electricity.
- Grey hydrogen is the most common form and is generated from natural gas, or methane, through a process called “steam reforming”. In this process, natural gas reacts with steam at high temperatures to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) as a byproduct. The CO2 emitted during gray hydrogen production is typically released into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
- Blue hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels, typically natural gas, but incorporates carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to mitigate its carbon emissions.