A correct perspective for hydrogen from engineered diagenesis

Wind and solar photovoltaic electricity production have already reached very low levels of levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Electrolyzers have already reached high efficiencies which are further improving, while costs are dramatically reducing. They are commercial products. Green hydrogen (H-2) is the product of excess wind and solar electricity, specifically electricity that will be otherwise wasted, without the huge energy storage needed presently almost completely missing. By growing the installed capacity of wind and solar power plants, there will be a non-dispatchable production by wind and solar more often in excess, but sometimes also in defect, of the grid demand, in presence of limited energy storage. H-2 is one of the key energy storage technologies needed to ensure grid stability. Production of H-2 above what is needed to stabilize the grid significantly helps in applications such as land, and sea but especially air transport where the storage of energy onboard in a fuel is preferable to the storage of energy as electricity into a battery. The engineered diagenesis for H-2 is unlikely better than green hH(2). Apart from being a nice idea to be proven workable, with a technology readiness level (TRL) presently of zero, and thus impossible to be objectively compared with commercial products, the engineered diagenesis for H-2, even if possible, also does not help with non-dispatchable renewable energy production. The concept may also have negative environmental aspects similar to fracking which have not been considered yet, and also bear huge economic costs in addition to environmental. Here we review the pros and cons of this novel technology, which once proven workable, which is not the case yet, should be considered as a possible way to complement rather than replace green H-2 production. (c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Wind and solar photovoltaic electricity production has reached low costs, while electrolyzers have high efficiencies and low costs, producing green hydrogen (H-2) from excess renewable energy. H-2 is crucial for grid stability and can be used as fuel for transportation. However, the engineered diagenesis for H-2 has yet to be proven and may have negative environmental and economic impacts.