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Hydrogen Production, Utilization and Future Prospects

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A5: Hydrogen Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 August 2023) | Viewed by 6871

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Udishnu Sanyal

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Guest Editor

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, MSIN: K2-57, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Interests: biomass conversion to fuel/chemicals; heterogeneous catalysis; electrocatalysis; hydrogen production/storage; hydrogen carrier
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Abhishek Kumar

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Guest Editor

Applied Chemistry and Eng, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
Interests: nanomaterials synthesis; hydrogen separation; sensors; MOFs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The declining quantities of petroleum resources and their adverse impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas generation have accelerated the need to find alternatives based on renewable and sustainable energy resources. In this prospect, hydrogen has emerged as a potential sustainable option for the following reasons: (i) the energy sector can be decarbonized with efficient and clean power generation from hydrogen fuel cells and (ii) hydrogen has a high gravimetric density and is an efficient energy storage medium for the energy and transportation sectors. Additionally, hydrogen remains an important chemical feedstock for various industries in order to decrease their carbon footprints. However, hydrogen for all these applications must be obtained from sustainable sources.

The present research topic aims to address the sustainable production of high-purity hydrogen for energy, fuel and commodity applications, while also emphasizing hydrogen production from renewable sources such as solar and biomass. Developments in other fields such as gas separation, synthetic renewable hydrocarbons, and hydrogen carriers that enable hydrogen production and application are also of interest. Discussions on how hydrogen production from current and future energy profiles can address the Sustainable Development Goals is strongly encouraged.

The primary objective of this Research Topic is to gain insights into the latest developments of sustainable hydrogen production and applications in both academia and industry, and to understand the challenges that are associated with its large-scale deployment as technologies. The topic editors encourage the submission of original research articles, short communications, and review articles from experts in the field of fuel cells, hydrogen storage and production, and utilization. This research topic covers, but is not limited to, the following concepts:

Hydrogen production from water splitting, using technologies such as photoelectrolysis, proton exchange membranes, intermediate- and high-temperature electrolysis cells, and solar thermochemical hydrogen production;
Hydrogen production from biomass;
Hydrogen carriers such as ammonia, methane, methanol and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs);
Catalyst development, component design, and system innovation for sustainable hydrogen production;
Technoeconomic and life-cycle analysis of the societal impacts of sustainable hydrogen production;
Analysis and evaluation of hydrogen-based economics.

Dr. Udishnu Sanyal
Dr. Abhishek Kumar
Guest Editors

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Keywords

hydrogen storage
hydrogen carrier
hydrogen production
catalysis
hydrogen economy

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogen Production by Catalytic Supercritical Water Gasification of Black Liquor-Based Wastewater

by Hary Demey, Gilles Ratel, Bruno Lacaze, Olivier Delattre, Geert Haarlemmer and Anne Roubaud

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3343; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083343 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2051

Abstract

In this work, the wastewater obtained from the hydrothermal liquefaction of black liquor was treated and valorized for hydrogen production by supercritical water gasification (SCWG). The influence of the main process parameters on the conversion yield was studied. The experiments were conducted at three different temperatures (below and above the critical point of water): 350 °C, 450 °C and 600 °C. The results showed that by increasing the temperature from 350 °C to 600 °C, the total gas yield was highly improved (from 1.9 mol gas/kg of dried feedstock to 13.1 mol gas/kg of dried feedstock). The H₂ composition was higher than that of CH₄ and CO₂ at 600 °C, and the HHV of the obtained gas was 61.2 MJ/kg. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency was also improved by increasing the temperature, indicating that the SCWG process could be used for both applications: (i) for wastewater treatment; (ii) for producing a high calorific gas. The experiments with the Raney-nickel catalyst were performed in order to study the catalyst’s influence on the conversion yield. The results indicated that the catalyst enhances carbon conversion and gas production from mild to higher temperatures. The maximum total gas yield obtained with this catalyst was 32.4 mol gas/kg of dried feedstock at 600 °C, which is 2.5 times higher than that obtained at the same operating conditions without a catalyst. The H₂ yield and the HHV of the obtained gas with the catalyst were 20.98 mol gas/kg dried feedstock and 80.2 MJ/kg, respectively. However, the major contribution of the catalytic SCWG process was the improvement of the total gas yield at mild operating temperatures (450 °C), and the obtained performance was even higher than that obtained at 600 °C without catalyst (17.81 mol gas/kg dried feedstock and 13.1 mol gas/kg dried feedstock, respectively). This is a sustainable approach for treating wastewater at mild temperatures by catalytic SCWG. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen Production, Utilization and Future Prospects)

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Review

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27 pages, 2350 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Advanced Processes of Biohydrogen Generation from Lignocellulosic Biomass with Special Emphasis on Thermochemical Conversion

by Rajat Kumar Sharma, Mohammad Ali Nazari, Juma Haydary, Triveni Prasad Singh and Sandip Mandal

Energies 2023, 16(17), 6349; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176349 - 1 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1275

Abstract

The utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as an alternative energy source presents a promising opportunity to achieve a future energy system that is clean and free from CO₂ emissions. To realize this potential, it is crucial to develop effective techniques for converting biomass and organic solid waste into secondary energy sources. Among the available options, hydrogen production stands out due to its numerous advantages, including its cleanliness, versatility in conversion and utilization technologies, high energy efficiency, and dense energy content per unit weight. This article offers a comprehensive overview of different conversion pathways and important technologies for generating hydrogen from biomass and organic solid waste. It specifically focuses on the thermochemical conversion process, which shows promise as an economically viable approach. While certain thermochemical conversion processes are still in the developmental phase, utilizing organic biomass for hydrogen production is widely recommended due to its ability to yield higher amounts of end products and its compatibility with existing facilities. However, it should be noted that this method necessitates a substantial amount of energy due to its endothermic nature. This article also explores alternative hydrogen conversion technologies and their potential for utilizing organic biomass as a feedstock, while addressing the challenges and limitations associated with these methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen Production, Utilization and Future Prospects)

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25 pages, 2689 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Environmental Assessment of Hydrogen Utilization in Various Applications and Alternative Renewable Sources for Hydrogen Production: A Review

by Muhammad Amin, Hamad Hussain Shah, Bilal Bashir, Muhammad Azhar Iqbal, Umer Hameed Shah and Muhammad Umair Ali

Energies 2023, 16(11), 4348; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16114348 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3195

Abstract

Rapid industrialization is consuming too much energy, and non-renewable energy resources are currently supplying the world’s majority of energy requirements. As a result, the global energy mix is being pushed towards renewable and sustainable energy sources by the world’s future energy plan and climate change. Thus, hydrogen has been suggested as a potential energy source for sustainable development. Currently, the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels is dominant in the world and its utilization is increasing daily. As discussed in the paper, a large amount of hydrogen is used in rocket engines, oil refining, ammonia production, and many other processes. This paper also analyzes the environmental impacts of hydrogen utilization in various applications such as iron and steel production, rocket engines, ammonia production, and hydrogenation. It is predicted that all of our fossil fuels will run out soon if we continue to consume them at our current pace of consumption. Hydrogen is only ecologically friendly when it is produced from renewable energy. Therefore, a transition towards hydrogen production from renewable energy resources such as solar, geothermal, and wind is necessary. However, many things need to be achieved before we can transition from a fossil-fuel-driven economy to one based on renewable energy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen Production, Utilization and Future Prospects)

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