SPECIAL FEATURE
THINKING ABOUT A HYDROGEN SOCIETY

It only weighs 1/14th of air. It is the lightest substance on earth, harmless to humans, colorless, transparent, tasteless, and odorless.

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Due to its lightness, it was used as a gas for balloons in the past.

When hydrogen is combined with oxygen and ignites, it burns to form water. Hydrogen is far more flammable than other combustible gases. It combusts quickly and with a high temperature. The heating value of hydrogen is very high.

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Extremely high energy density.

In an enclosed space, the risk of ignition or explosion is high, making it difficult to handle.

On the other hand, in an open space, it will quickly diffuse into the atmosphere, making the risk of explosion low.

We already know how to safely handle hydrogen, and this knowledge is being put to use in a variety of industrial fields today.

Since hydrogen readily binds to oxygen and carbon, it usually exists as a compound in nature. There is almost no pure hydrogen in the atmosphere.

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Pure hydrogen must be created from fossil fuels or electrolysis of water.

Hydrogen is abundantly present on Earth as part of water (H₂O). It is also an element of many fossil fuels (hydrocarbons).

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There is no danger of depletion, and it can be used in a variety of industries.

Hydrogen was discovered by British chemist Henry Cavendish in 1766. It has been used as a gas in hydrogen balloons since 1783, and a prototype fuel cell was developed as early as 1839. People have been using it for a long time, including in rockets and spacecraft since the 1960s.

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Today, it is used in a wide range of fields, from fertilizers, semiconductors, and petrochemicals to the food sector.

On the other hand, most of the hydrogen used in industrial fields is produced with natural gas and other fossil fuels.

When reacting with oxygen, it generates electricity and heat. Since it does not contain carbon, it does not produce CO₂.

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Therefore, if we use it in engines, gas turbines, boilers, and fuel cells instead of fossil fuels, we can create electricity and heat without creating CO₂!

Hydrogen can be produced by reforming fossil fuels (the CO₂ emitted is either released into the atmosphere (grey hydrogen) or captured (blue hydrogen)), or by electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources that do not emit CO₂ (green hydrogen). However, grey hydrogen accounts for the majority of hydrogen produced today. As we move toward a carbon-neutral society, MHI Group predicts that blue hydrogen will become the mainstream in the medium term and green hydrogen in the long term in regions where it is difficult to secure renewable energy sources. Other methods include extracting hydrogen from methane without producing CO₂ (turquoise hydrogen) and using heat or electricity from nuclear power (pink hydrogen), so development should be pursued from a variety of perspectives.

Pressurizing hydrogen is essential at every step in the supply chain of hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and use. Thus, the compressor plays an important role. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation has an extensive track record manufacturing compressors that handle hydrocarbons, which mostly consist of hydrogen atoms. We are currently working on using our accumulated technological and product capabilities to bring a “100% hydrogen” compressor to the market in 2023.

When it comes to transportation, pipelines are more economical for short distances and carriers for long distances. There are several methods of transporting hydrogen by carrier, including liquifying it, adsorbing it into organic compounds, or transporting it in the form of hydrogen compounds such as ammonia, LNG(Note1), and LPG(Note2) and separating it at the destination. The point is that it is difficult to handle hydrogen in its original form. MHI Group considers that transporting hydrogen as a compound and separating it at the destination is the efficient means of transportation from both economic and safety perspectives. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co.,Ltd. has a proven track record in the design and construction of hydrogen compound carriers and an advantage in handling technology.

• 1LNG: Liquefied Natural Gas. A liquefied form of methane and ethane.
• 2LPG: Liquefied Petroleum Gas. A liquefied form of propane and butane. LNG and LPG, whose main components are found as natural resources, are cheaper to obtain than ammonia. However, since they both contain carbon, an efficient carbon treatment is required.

Hydrogen can be used as a carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels. MHI Group is developing products such as hydrogen gas turbines, hydrogen gas engines, and fuel cell forklifts. In addition to fuel, we are also working on hydrogen reduction ironmaking, which involves using hydrogen to remove oxygen from iron oxide in the ironmaking process. Through these technologies, we will continue to reform our industry from a decarbonization perspective.