Unearthed Greenpeace was way ahead of its time back in 2016, when it asked is power to gas storage the next battery? The idea was revolutionary. It made a deal of sense, but it does not seem to have really taken off. We decided to dust off the idea so we would at least keep it alive.
Future Next Battery Storage From Power to Gas
The idea is radical, but simple. Generate electricity from intermittent solar and wind energy, but don’t store it in batteries for future consumption. Use the electricity to extract hydrogen gas from water H2O using electrolysis instead. Then burn that clean gas in thermal power stations to generate consistent electricity all day and night long.
But that’s not the end of the Unearthed Greenpeace solution. We could use the surplus hydrogen gas to power hydrogen vehicles too. Imagine that. We would then have clean energy and transport. That’s no more smog in the morning. And no more worries of a nuclear power station melting us down. What’s holding us back? Vested interests perhaps …
Renewable Hydrogen is Key to Energy Transition
International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA believes the idea is still a definite runner. However, we need to stop producing hydrogen gas from fossil, it says and start using alternative pathways. It released a report Hydrogen: A Renewable Energy Perspective in 2019, and that still makes a deal of sense. See the link below.
IRENA is currently moving forward with research into hydrogen’s future role in energy transition. It convened its 10th session in January 2020, attended by Austria, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the USA.
The European Commission, the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy, the International Energy Agency and the Global Maritime Forum also attended. We are at peace now we know we are not the only people following a hydrogen dream.
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