hydrogen

Hydrogen, the emergence of a clean energy

“Native”, “natural”, “white” or “geological”, hydrogen is produced naturally in the ground, without external energy. Natural hydrogen provides an additional solution to the low carbon hydrogen mix.

What is hydrogen?

What are its characteristics?

Abundant

Hydrogen is the most widespread element in the universe, main constituent of the sun and most of the stars.

Natural

Its pure form, di-hydrogen, is being created naturally by chemical reactions in the earth’s crust.

Rarely alone

Hydrogen is mostly associated with other elements to form molecules (water, methane, starch, sugar, alcohol, etc.)

The lightest

Hydrogen is the smallest and lightest element (14 times lighter than air).

An energy

Natural hydrogen contains 3 times more energy than gasoline.

Non-toxic and odourless

In its pure form, di-hydrogen is invisible, odourless and non-toxic.

The hydrogen market in Europe

Sources of H₂ production in Europe

Sources : economie.gouv.fr / France Hydrogène (AFHYPAC), IHS Markit, Les Echos

Native hydrogen: a field of the future in which 45-8 ENERGY is investing

Hydrogen uses

Hydrogen, in its pure form dihydrogen, offers unique properties that make it strategic and sought-after.

Tous
Hydrogen as a chemical compound
Hydrogen as an energy vector
Hydrogen as fuel

Industrial chemistry

Hydrogen is very reactive and therefore combines very easily with other elements to create compounds.

For example, for creating ammonia when being combined with nitrogen, for creating nylon and various plastics, or as a base for fertilisers.

Refining

Hydrogen is used to remove sulfur when refining gasoline to prevent sulfur oxides (SOx) from being released during combustion. These oxides participate in atmospheric pollution and are responsible for certain respiratory diseases.

Methanation

When dihydrogen is combined with CO₂, methane is generated (natural gas). This process, called methanation, has particularly emerged with the development of wind and solar energy, which requires the ability to store the excess electricity produced. This conversion of electricity into gas ("power to gas") can contribute to the energy transition and to a reduction in overall CO₂ emissions.

Electricity

Powered by hydrogen, a fuel cell produces electricity and emits heat and water. In addition to a vector of mobility, this electricity can supply isolated sites, industrial units or even sensitive sites requiring emergency alternative energy.

Storage

Solar and wind power have the disadvantage of being intermittent and sometimes more electricity is produced than the network can accommodate. This excess of electricity can then be used to produce hydrogen, via an electrolyser which will then be converted back into power via fuel cell.

Mobility

The hydrogen used in a fuel cell makes it possible to produce electricity directly in a vehicle powered by an electric motor (car, train, truck, etc.). These "zero emission" vehicles then emit only water.

Spatial

From the beginning of the space industry, hydrogen immediately played an important role as rocket fuel. It is the fuel that concentrates the most energy, a criterion of primary importance as a space launcher must be as light as possible.

Metallurgy

Hydrogen is used in metallurgy for heat treatment atmospheres that make it possible to produce mechanical parts or modify their properties.

Hydrogen and its main production methods

Produced from subsurface

By steam reforming of hydrocarbons

By water electrolysis

By coal gasification

Hydrogen from geological sources for 45-8 ENERGY

45-8 ENERGY has a strong interest in hydrogen of geological origin, originating and generated from the subsurface. We are exploring:

Native hydrogen

Native hydrogen is produced naturally in the subsurface. Its formation requires no critical materials, no anthropogenic energy and does not impact the available water resource.

Native hydrogen is still little known and yet it appears to be a complementary solution to other low-carbon hydrogen production processes, an essential pillar in the energy transition we are experiencing.

To date, several potential areas have been identified by 45-8 ENERGY. This is the case, for example, with our application for an exploration permit, currently under investigation, in Kosovo.

Local blue Hydrogen

In some geological contexts, helium and natural hydrogen can sometimes be associated with methane.

Considering the climatic urgency and the sovereignty regarding the production of strategic resources, 45-8 ENERGY envisages the transformation on site of these possible fractions of methane into blue hydrogen, thanks to the process of “vaporeforming”.

The carbon dioxide generated by this process will be captured and purified to supply local consumer industries (food industry, dry ice manufacturers, fire-fighting, etc.), in a market that is also tight.

To date, 45-8 ENERGY is evaluating this possibility of producing local hydrogen on site, always with the will to co-value the resources (helium, methane and carbon dioxide) when our Guhlen II exploration license in eastern Germany will be approved by the authorities.

Hydrogen in few figures

This is currently the annual French consumption of hydrogen.

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of carbon-free hydrogen are produced worldwide.

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companies dedicated to natural hydrogen since 45-8 ENERGY creation in 2017.

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This is the CO₂ released by producing 1t of H₂ by steam reforming.

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This is the allocated budget to develop the hydrogen sector in France.

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This is the distance that a car can travel with 1kg of hydrogen.

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