How does hydrogen benefit manufacturing?

Mankind has always been great at making things. We need to build sustainable factories for the future by powering them with hydrogen. Which in turn will be used to produce materials in a cleaner way.

MANUFACTURING A CLEANER
WAY OF LIFE

Manufacturing and technology have over the years radically increased living standards around the world. Nowhere is this progression more visible than in rapidly growing economies where increased wealth translates quickly into tangible things like new buildings, houses and roads.

Unfortunately, all this comes at a price. Industrial manufacturing represents 19% of emissions globally. The manufacturing process for materials such as steel, cement, glass and chemicals all require high-temperature heat in their production. Today’s industrial heat requirements rely mainly on fossil fuels and only a small amount of renewable energy. Therefore, decarbonisation would require a dramatic change in how industrial heat is generated.

10 SECOND SUMMARY

Hydrogen can reduce carbon emissions in the production of practically everything in our lives: our food, our homes, our mobile devices and much more. Hydrogen can play a significant role to reduce industrial emissons in nearly all aspects of modern manufacturing .

MANUFACTURING is ENERGY HUNGRY

Hydrogen can be used in manufacturing where other renewables fall short.

Steel is one of the most widely used metals in the world

  • Steel is used in all aspects of our lives. Everything from tin cans and washing machines to building roads, cars, trains, skyscrapers and wind turbines.
  • In 2015, the steel industry’s carbon footprint was calculated to be around 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Steel production requires producing heat over 1700°C at times and maintaining high heat for many hours. Hydrogen can be used as a source to produce the high-temperature heat needed.

Ammonia serves as a basis for global food production

  • 50% of the world’s food production relies on ammonia fertilizer to help sustain high-yield food production for billions of people around the world.
  • Ammonia production accounts for over 1% of global CO2 emissions
  • Using “green hydrogen” in the ammonia production process could help significantly reduce this number

Cement is used everywhere to build the modern world

  • Cement is mainly used as a binder in concrete, which is a basic material for all types of construction. Demand for cement is booming in the developing world.
  • Cement’s carbon footprint represents about 8% of the world’s CO2 emissions.
  • Cement manufacturing is a complex process which requires producing heat up to 1450 °C. Hydrogen can be used as a source to produce the high-temperature heat needed.

MANUFACTURING A CLEANER FUTURE FOR INDUSTRIES

How would scaling up hydrogen-powered manufacturing genuinely change your life?

Scaling up the use of hydrogen to power manufacturing processes would radically alter the environmental impact of everything we interact with, and manufacturing touches on all aspects of our lives.

More hydrogen use will help reduce carbon emissions in all aspects of life:

In your house: concrete in the walls, plastic in pipes and sheets, steel in foundations, aluminium and glass windows.

At your breakfast table:  glass jars, stainless steel cutlery, tomato made with fertiliser and plastic plates for the kids.

OTHER GUIDES

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