Blue, Green… Turquoise? Carbon-To-Value And Sustainability In The Hydrogen Palette

Source: Rachael Meidl & Ken Medlock · FORBES · | September 22, 2021

Source: Airplane and hydrogen tank trailer on the background of airport. New energy sources GETTY

Decarbonization efforts and commitments from governments and industries are rising due to global climate and sustainability targets, and many are exploring and adapting innovative technologies and business models with the goal of zero-carbon or low-carbon energy and carbon utilization strategies.  Hydrogen, a zero-carbon energy carrier that can be stored prior to use, has the potential to significantly transform the global energy landscape.  It could be a cheaper energy option for freight transport and heavy trucks than electrification, and could be used in industrial process where electrification is difficult and costly.  Multiple pathways for hydrogen production are available.  Each is often differentiated by the color spectrum (Figure 1), but the majority of them have not been commercialized at scale. 

For hydrogen to be low carbon, the negative CO2 externality must be abated, which pushes the production technology options away from grey and brown, which represent the dominant production technology deployed today, to other options. “Turquoise” hydrogen presents an interesting opportunity because it introduces a carbon-to-value proposition that can improve the commercial viability of the technology. In particular, the solid carbon that is recovered during hydrogen production via pyrolysis can be used in existing applications that involve carbon black, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and other derivatives.