Supervisors info:
Χαράλαμπος Ηλίας, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Ενεργειακής Οικονομίας, Γενικό Τμήμα, ΕΚΠΑ
Παναγιώτης Γκόνης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Ευρυζωνικών Δικτύων Κινητών Επικοινωνιών σε Κυψελωτά Περιβάλλοντα, Γενικό Τμήμα, ΕΚΠΑ
Ελευθέριος Τσαμπάσης, Λέκτορας Εφαρμογών, Γενικό Τμήμα, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Hydrogen is the first chemical element in the periodic table and has the atomic number 1. It is symbolized by the Latin letter H which comes from the word Hydrogen. It is the lightest chemical element and consists of the nucleus (proton) and an electron in its outer shell.
It is an element, which we cannot detect by itself in nature as a single atom, but in chemical compounds. However, it can be produced from different primary energy sources and by a variety of production technologies. As an element it can be located it in various organic compounds, such as water, hydrocarbons and biomass. Once produced it can be used either as fuel for direct combustion in internal combustion engines, or in a fuel cell producing only water as a by-product. As a fuel, hydrogen is universally accepted as an environmental benign secondary form of renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. Thus, its production is based on industrial methods, mainly with the "reforming" of natural gas, and less often with the particularly energy-intensive method of water electrolysis.
Under normal conditions, hydrogen is in gaseous form. In order to store and transport it, it will have to be compressed to a very high pressure or cooled to extremely low temperatures, which is one of the most important challenges in its distribution.
Hydrogen is non-toxic, but volatility is one of its main problems, as it "escapes" even from solid stainless steel! This fact complicates the proper construction of its transport pipes, as well as its storage containers.
Compared to conventional fuels, it has a higher energy density based on its mass, which theoretically ensures greater autonomy. However, to transport a sufficient amount of hydrogen into a tank it will need to be compressed to a very high pressure.
The term green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced through the electrolysis of water, and the electricity used in the process is derived from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Hydrogen has a wide range of applications and can be deployed in areas such as industry and transport. Examples of its use in transportation include trains, planes, cars and buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
It is considered as a critical tool in the European Union's decarbonisation plans. The EU has planned to install 40 gigawatts of renewable hydrogen electrolytes and to produce up to 10 million metric tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030.
In addition, green hydrogen is expensive to produce, although a Wood Mackenzie report released in August said costs could drop by as much as 64% by 2040.
