Heliogen and Bloom Energy successfully produce low-cost green hydrogen

Heliogen’s AI-enabled concentrated solar energy system is designed to create carbon-free steam, electricity and heat from abundant and renewable sunlight. When combined with Bloom Energy’s proprietary solid oxide, high-temperature electrolyser, hydrogen can be produced 45% more efficiently than low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolysers. Electricity accounts for nearly 80% of the cost of hydrogen from electrolysis. By using less electricity, hydrogen production is more economical and accelerates adoption. In addition, the ability to use heat, which is a much lower cost source of energy than electricity, further improves the economics of green hydrogen production.

Heliogen’s concentrated solar technology is different to traditional photovoltaic (PV) solar; it facilitates hydrogen generation for longer periods of time, operating near 24/7 by storing the solar energy, resulting in lower cost production. The extended operating time of Heliogen’s technology, as well as Bloom Energy’s ability to efficiently utilise heat, reduces the cost of green hydrogen production compared to competing solutions.

Hydrogen use is forecast to grow from 115 million tpy currently to 500 – 800 million tpy by 2050, accounting for 15 – 20% of total global energy demand. Hydrogen projects already announced represent over US$300 billion in spending across the value chain, and McKinsey & Company analysts expect at least US$150 billion of that spend to be related to hydrogen production, which Heliogen and Bloom Energy are addressing through their collaboration.

The successful demonstration is an important step forward towards the goal of replacing fossil-derived fuels with green hydrogen in commercial and industrial applications. Responsible for more than one-third of the world’s energy consumption and a quarter of global CO₂ emissions, industrial companies are particularly well-suited for low-cost, large-scale hydrogen utilisation, given their substantial energy requirements and notable carbon emissions. Further, the integration of Heliogen and Bloom Energy is a significant milestone for the hydrogen economy, as it is expected to unlock a future of economically viable green hydrogen production on par with hydrogen produced from solar PV generation.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/18112021/heliogen-and-bloom-energy-successfully-produce-low-cost-green-hydrogen/