APRIL - 202319In today's world, science and technology have touched the acme of success--from AI-chatbot producing articles just based on commands to driverless cars guiding you to the location, nothing is a dream today. There is no way to deny that all these innovations are driving human civilization toward a better and flourishing future. Amidst all the progress, one factor that still continues to torment researchers is the rapid climate change, which, if not addressed at the right time, can have devastating impacts. Fortunately, the world has realized the gravity of the situation and making concerted efforts to make the world sustainable and a better place to live in where innovations can thrive.Hydrogen is quickly becoming an important part of the secure energy future and decarbonization journey. The most abundant element on earth is regarded as a powerful clean energy carrier when used in hydrogen cell fuel. Numerous countries have already started to count on hydrogen as a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The sector is, no wonder, witnessing significant monetary investment. According to a report by markets and markets the global hydrogen generation market was estimated to be worth $160.0 billion in 2022; it is poised to reach $263.5 billion by 2027--growing at a CAGR of 10.5 percent from 2022 to 2027. In fact, hydrogen fuel is quickly becoming a popular choice over battery-powered vehicles because of multiple factors, including faster refueling and minimal requirements of on-site infrastructure.Another key area of focus for the hydrogen industry is the production of green hydrogen--the process of obtaining hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity.Green hydrogen production technology typically relies on electrolysis, which is powered by renewable energy without the emission of carbon dioxide. The International Energy Agency (IEA) states that switching to green hydrogen has the capability to save the annual 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions generated by fossil fuel-based production. However, replacing all grey hydrogen in the world with green hydrogen is a task easier said than done. It requires 3,000 TWh/year of energy from new renewable sources, which is equivalent to Europe's current energy demand. This significantly increases the production cost and puts the viability and wider adoption of green hydrogen into question. Also, hydrogen is flammable and potentially explosive. Safe handling of this holds immense importance for everyone's safety. Despite these shortcomings, the world expects to become more reliant on green hydrogen, given that renewable energy is becoming more cost-effective and decarbonization initiatives are becoming an integral part of every government across the globe.The potential of hydrogen is enormous; it is rapidly becoming a global contender for alternative energy. Unfortunately, the hydrogen energy applications are still less. The world is currently rethinking innovative ways to produce, leverage, and transfer hydrogen energy. In the coming years, it is expected that the utilization of hydrogen energy will go beyond traditional industrial applications. Simultaneously, the number of low-carbon hydrogen projects is also growing. Once this method comes to the mainstream, it will be a great leap toward an emission-free future.The discussion around the immense potential of hydrogen is not something new. The world has already witnessed multiple projects in this regard, but only a few of them has shown tremendous benefits. If you are willing to trace the reason for this, the primary answer that will surface is: cost. We still have not been able to democratize the applications of hydrogen by making them cost-effective. Scientists are making great strides in this field, and hopefully, in the coming years, the dream will become a reality. Many large corporations have also become a part of this venture by providing adequate funding to the researchers.In essence, the goal of a sustainable future is not anymore a fancy phrase; imminent dangers of climate change and uncontrolled carbon emission are knocking at our door. It is high time that we make the transition in the right direction to save our beloved earth. The rapid commercialization of EVs and other strategies are undoubtedly greater steps for a sustainable future. But the potential of hydrogen as a source to power vehicles, generate electricity, power industry, and heat our homes and businesses is enormous, and we need to rightly explore all the intricacies of it to make the world carbon-free. FUTURE AND HYDROGEN
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