After the breakthrough of the invention that produces hydrogen out of nothing, a new color of hydrogen appears that could be the energy that mankind is looking for. For some time now, hydrogen has been talked about as the solution to the lack of sustainability in the current energy system because of its great possibilities as an energy carrier (energy vector) and because it can be obtained without greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, at least in some of its forms.

Hydrogen has some relevant properties that make it a renewable element capable of providing safe energy. However, the current penetration of low-carbon H in the global energy context is still incipient, so there are still a multitude of proposals linked to electrolyzers, storage and production capacity developments.

Under these circumstances, we find several colors of hydrogen that vary according to the way it is produced: green, blue, gray, black, pink, turquoise…

The new color of hydrogen is postulated as the energy of the future

The Japanese company Ebara is promoting turquoise hydrogen for more affordable and environmentally friendly production. Although H is an odorless gas, when taken to industrial contexts it is assigned certain colors depending on the energy source used in its production. Turquoise H is expected to be commercially available by 2026. The aforementioned firm opts to use methane to obtain hydrogen, creating the so-called turquoise hydrogen.

Its production takes place from methane contained in natural gas and biogas, through a decomposition process called molten metal pyrolysis. During this process, natural gas flows through the molten metal, releasing H and solid carbon, a scenario that avoids CO2 emissions.

Japanese industrial machinery manufacturer Ebara makes pumps and other equipment for hydrogen systems and is now working on a new system to produce turquoise H. It aims to commercialize it by 2025. It aims to commercialize it by 2026, taking advantage of the global push for decarbonization. The current process for producing turquoise H extracts hydrogen and carbon in a single reactor. However, Ebara plans to extract them separately to acquire different types of solid carbon without affecting H production.

Solid carbon has multiple applications: from reinforcing tires with carbon black to the use of carbon fibers in cars and airplanes. This type of H can expect some benefits that lead it to be conceived as a greener option.

Green H generation, created from renewable energy sources, or blue H, which encompasses extraction from fossil fuels and uses carbon capture and storage technology to mitigate emissions, does not develop carbon dioxide, but is costly because of the amount of energy required to create it.

Ebara bets on turquoise hydrogen: the energy of the future?

In addition, it is complex to set up optimal carbon storage facilities for blue hydrogen. For these reasons, turquoise hydrogen stands out as an economical alternative for generating clean fuel without carbon emissions, depending on the source of electricity used in the methane heating system. It was in 2022 that Ebara began this business project, overseen directly by the company’s president.

The Tokyo-based brand sees turquoise H as vital to achieving its goal of contributing to a “sustainable society.” It has also made collaborations with the National Institute of Materials Science, Shizuoka University and materials manufacturer Taiyo Koko. The project was commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, which is supported by the Japanese government.

If Ebara’s predictions come true, turquoise hydrogen could be the energy we have been looking for for centuries. A color we tell you much more about in this article.