[Paper Review] A Review on Hydrogen Production Technologies and Its Future Demand

Mohammad Abubakr, Shadma Shahid+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Oct 10, 2024

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems4 citations

TL;DR

This review evaluates current and emerging hydrogen production technologies—steam methane reforming, electrolysis, and biomass gasification—highlighting their efficiencies, applications, and environmental impacts. It identifies electrolysis and renewable-based methods as critical for decarbonizing energy systems, with global hydrogen production valued at $155.35 billion in 2022 and growing demand across industry, transport, and power sectors.

ABSTRACT

Hydrogen production is a vital process in the quest for decarbonization and a sustainable future. This conversation explores the various technologies used in hydrogen production, such as steam methane reforming, electrolysis, and biomass gasification. These methods have different applications and efficiencies, but all contribute to the production of hydrogen gas. The future of hydrogen production looks promising, as it offers a clean and versatile energy source that can be used in various sectors, including transportation, industry, and power generation. The increasing demand for hydrogen in these sectors, coupled with the global push for decarbonization, highlights the importance of advancing hydrogen production technologies and infrastructure. This paper focuses broadly on different methods of hydrogen production like steam methane reforming, electrolysis, and biomass gasification. Steam methane reforming is currently the most common method, accounting for about 95% of global hydrogen production. Electrolysis is another method that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Biomass gasification involves converting organic materials into hydrogen gas through a thermochemical process. The renewable energy sources considered are water and biomass and the methods considered are Electrolysis (grid), thermolysis, thermochemical water splitting, photoelectrochemical water splitting, and gasification. Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen accounts for about 5% of the total hydrogen production. Statistically, global hydrogen production reached about USD 155.35 billion in 2022, with the majority of it being used in the petroleum refining and ammonia production industries. As for applications, hydrogen can be used as a fuel for fuel cell vehicles, as a feedstock for chemical processes, and as a storage medium for renewable energy.

Motivation & Objective

• To assess the current state and future potential of major hydrogen production technologies.
• To evaluate the role of renewable-based hydrogen production in achieving global decarbonization goals.
• To analyze the market size and industrial applications driving global hydrogen demand.
• To compare the efficiency, scalability, and environmental impact of different hydrogen production pathways.
• To identify key challenges and opportunities in scaling up low-carbon hydrogen technologies.

Proposed method

• Systematic review of hydrogen production technologies including steam methane reforming (SMR), electrolysis, and biomass gasification.
• Analysis of energy inputs and outputs using thermodynamic principles, particularly for water electrolysis and thermochemical processes.
• Evaluation of global hydrogen production data from 2022, including market value and sectoral distribution.
• Classification of hydrogen production methods based on feedstock (natural gas, water, biomass) and energy source (fossil, renewable).
• Use of figures and statistical data to compare production volumes and technological readiness levels.
• Incorporation of findings from the International Conference on Advances in Chemical and Applied Sciences for Sustainable Development (ACASSD-2024).

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the dominant hydrogen production technologies today, and what share of global production do they account for?
• RQ2 How do electrolysis and renewable-based hydrogen production methods compare in efficiency and scalability?
• RQ3 What are the primary industrial applications driving current global hydrogen demand?
• RQ4 What is the projected role of hydrogen in decarbonizing transportation, industry, and power generation?
• RQ5 What are the key technological and infrastructural barriers to scaling up low-carbon hydrogen production?

Key findings

• Steam methane reforming accounts for approximately 95% of global hydrogen production, making it the dominant method today.
• Electrolysis contributes about 5% of total global hydrogen production, with increasing potential due to renewable electricity integration.
• Global hydrogen production was valued at USD 155.35 billion in 2022, primarily driven by petroleum refining and ammonia production.
• Hydrogen is increasingly seen as a versatile energy carrier for fuel cell vehicles, industrial feedstocks, and renewable energy storage.
• Biomass gasification and other thermochemical processes offer alternative pathways for low-carbon hydrogen, though they remain less widely adopted.
• The transition to green hydrogen via electrolysis is critical for long-term decarbonization, especially as renewable energy capacity expands.