Gray hydrogen, blue hydrogen, green hydrogen, does hydrogen have colors?

China Science and Technology News Network, January 13 (Xu Qiqi) According to Science and Technology Daily, the civil construction of the 200,000-kilowatt new energy hydrogen production demonstration project in Inner Mongolia Huadian Damao Banner is underway. The construction is undertaken by the Hydrogen Energy Division of China Huadian Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.

Hydrogen energy is a secondary energy source, which is regarded as the clean energy with the greatest development potential in the 21st century. Secondary energy refers to energy products produced by processing and conversion devices for the specific needs of human activities. It is mainly generated by processing and conversion of primary energy, and there are also cases where secondary energy is processed and converted into another secondary energy. Secondary energy includes gas, coke, gasoline, electricity, steam, hydrogen energy, etc.

Hydrogen has the advantages of light weight, fast ignition, good thermal conductivity, high calorific value, adaptability to various storage and transportation methods, and green and clean. The torch fuel for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is hydrogen energy.

Hydrogen is a renewable, clean energy source, but its production process is not necessarily "zero-carbon". Grey hydrogen, blue hydrogen and green hydrogen are distinguished based on their production sources and emissions during the production process.

Gray hydrogen is hydrogen produced from fossil energy, industrial byproducts, etc., which produces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide during the production process. Currently, gray hydrogen is in the mainstream position of the hydrogen market, accounting for about 95% of the current global hydrogen production.

Blue hydrogen is also made from fossil fuels, but uses carbon capture and storage technology in the process, which greatly reduces carbon emissions. Blue hydrogen is the transition stage from gray hydrogen to green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by renewable energy (nuclear energy, wind energy, solar energy, etc.) through electrolysis of water and other methods, achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions during the hydrogen production process.