Although small amounts of hydrogen are found in natural deposits, almost all hydrogen used in industry today is synthetic. It is manufactured by steam-methane reforming, or through electrolysis – using electricity. Most hydrogen produced today is derived from fossil sources, either directly or through the intermediary of electricity, and has a carbon footprint.  

Presently we are seeing growth of green hydrogen - produced using electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar or wind. Green hydrogen can be used to decarbonize manufacturing processes including steel and cement. It can also be used for energy storage (as an alternative to batteries) or in mobility, with growing applications in railways, ships and trucks.

Whether the electricity used for making hydrogen comes from renewables or hydrocarbons, ABB supplies many of the technologies and components for its production. These include:

• Electrical control and protection to assure grid connection.

• Rectifiers are used to convert the electricity from the grid’s AC to the DC, providing a stable power flow required for electrolysis.  

• Motors to power pumps and compressors to handle the storage of  hydrogen.

• Sensors to monitor and measure different parameters, flow, pressure and temperature.

• Automation systems to control and coordinate the operation of the plant. For example ABB Ability™ System 800xA® distributed control system to support operations, and ABB Ability™ Optimax for analytics and modeling, improving plant-wide efficiency and reducing operating costs.

Let's take a closer look into two of these technologies.

Rectification

The process of electrolysis uses electrical current to split molecules of water, extracting hydrogen and oxygen separately as gases.

An electrolysis cell requires an electrical supply at a given DC voltage. The grid typically supplies electricity at a higher AC voltage. The installation that assures the electrical conversion is called the rectifier. ABB draws on a long pedigree in  rectifiers, going back to 1911. Today the company serves a broad palette of rectifier applications, ranging from aluminum smelting to data centers. ABB Rectifiers are designed for safe and reliable operation under harsh industrial conditions.  

Compressor motors

Low-emission hydrogen is typically produced from electrolysis in a gaseous form. Under atmospheric conditions, hydrogen gas has the lowest density of any element – approximately eight times less dense than methane. However the volumetric energy density is much lower, requiring efficient storage. Significant storage volume would be required to store hydrogen under atmospheric conditions. Compressors increase the pressure for storage or transportation. Since compression is energy intensive, both compressors and their pumps should operate with high efficiency. ABB offers a range of high-efficiency motors. Read more about our compressor motor-based technology. 

Compressor motors will continue to play a crucial role in green hydrogen production by enabling efficient storage and transportation, as seen in a facility in Saudi Arabia that will produce hydrogen for fuel buses and trucks globally. As part of the country’s zero-carbon city project, this development will integrate 4GW of wind, solar, and energy storage with electrolysis to produce approximately 650 tons of hydrogen per day