Hydrogen is produced via electrolysis – a process in which water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. An important factor for producing green hydrogen is that the electricity used must come from renewable sources.
This is in contrast to, for example:
That means electrolysis is the first – and crucial – step in the hydrogen value chain.
The starting point in the hydrogen value chain is electrolysis. Water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable energy sources. Different electrolyser technologies are used depending on the framework conditions:
An automated controller ensures that the temperature, pressure and media flows are always within the optimum range, creating maximum efficiency and plant and system availability.
Freshly produced hydrogen is rarely pure right from the start. It often contains moisture, oxygen residues or other contaminants. Special systems for hydrogen treatment bring it to the required quality – a purity of up to 99.999%. This is crucial in order to prevent corrosion, loss of efficiency or damage to downstream systems. Automated systems monitor all relevant process parameters in real time, react to deviations and optimise the use of energy and equipment. This not only increases safety, but also makes the entire process more efficient and easier to scale.
Hydrogen has a very low energy density at standard pressure. There are several ways to transport or store it efficiently:
Pressure control, filling and monitoring must be seamless and reliable. Precise valve technology and reliable sensors ensure safe, stable operation.
The route from the place of production to the place of use can look very different and includes pipelines, trailers to on-site production. Whatever the method, transport must be safe, low-loss and economical. Automated monitoring systems detect leakages or pressure fluctuations at an early stage and control the flow rate and valve positions in real time.
Green hydrogen has a wide range of applications. It can be used directly as a molecule in the chemical industry and for steel production and is also used in the production of synthetic natural gas or fuels. In fuel cells, hydrogen can then be used again to generate electricity, contributing to low-carbon mobility by reducing CO2 emitted by vehicles. Every application brings its own challenges, but automation technology helps to master them flexibly and reliably. Processes can be adapted to changing conditions and load profiles at any time and meet important safety requirements.
Green hydrogen is only competitive if it can be produced and utilised safely, reliably and efficiently. This can be achieved when using automation solutions with valve terminals and modular controllers in combination with real-time diagnostic functions. For example, they can help to:
Festo supports companies along the entire hydrogen value chain with industry-specific automation solutions. With our scalable systems, digital diagnostic functions and certified components, we help to make processes safe and future-proof, whether in electrolysis, gas treatment or mobile applications such as trailer control systems.
It is already a reality right now and its importance will continue to grow. Those who understand the entire chain can make well-informed decisions and integrate suitable solutions at an early stage.
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Efficient hydrogen control with Festo – from start to finish
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