Technologies for Producing Hydrogen

Ogden, J.M., T. Kreutz, S. Kartha and L. Iwan, Assessment of Technologies for Producing Hydrogen from Natural Gas at Small Scale, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis, CA, Draft Report, November 26,1996. 

Assessed the current state of technology for producing hydrogen from a variety of energy sources ... 

All of the current methods and the projected technologies for producing hydrogen from solar energy are much more expensive (greater than a factor of three) when compared with hydrogen production from coal or natural gas plants. This is due partly to the lower annual utilization factor of about 20 percent (as compared with, say, wind of 30 to 40 percent). This creates enormous pressure to reduce the cost... 

Ogden, T., S. Kreutz, Kartha, and L. Iwan. 1996. Assessment of technologies for producing hydrogen from natural gas at small scale. Princeton University Center for Energy and Environmental Studies Draft Report, Nov. 26, Princeton, NJ. 

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis The best-known technology for producing hydrocarbons from synthesis gas is the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This technology was first demonstrated in Germany in 1902 by Sabatier and Senderens when they hydrogenated carbon monoxide (CO) to methane, using a nickel catalyst. In 1926 Fischer and Tropsch were awarded a patent for the discovery of a catalytic technique to convert synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons similar to petroleum. 

Because coal is an important economical source for production of hydrogen, developing new technologies to improve the efficiency of hydrogen production is an important priority. Some new approaches for producing hydrogen from coal are discussed in the following section. 

The diverse sources for hydrogen are depicted in Figure 6.1.6 Today, the least expensive and the most widely applied technology to produce hydrogen is catalytic steam reforming... 

Demirbas, M. F., Technological options for producing hydrogen from renewable resources. Energy Sources, Part A Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 2006, 28(13), 1215-1223. 

---