As the world rebounds into a post-COVID-19 economy, there is little doubt the energy and transportation markets will never be the same.
Several major oil companies have announced plans to move beyond their core petrochemical based business models and become major players in carbon-neutral technologies. Airplane, automotive and turbine manufacturers are all touting their plans to leverage ammonia and/or hydrogen technologies to provide carbon-free options to global markets.
It is important to note that the idea of using hydrogen as a fuel is not new. In 1874, author Jules Verne postulated that hydrogen and oxygen would one day be used to "furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light." Over 50 years ago, NASA used liquid hydrogen as well as hydrogen fuel cell technologies to put a man on the moon. More recently, regulatory bodies, industries and research institutions have been working together to develop the infrastructure and technological framework that will allow the broader realization of Verne's original vision.
As bright as a hydrogen-driven future appears, it is important that we acknowledge our all-too-human propensity to over-hype emerging technologies and underappreciate the challenges of their widespread adoption. At one time, the nuclear industry promised electricity too cheap to meter. For decades, commercial fusion has been promised "within the next 30 years." Just 15 years ago, when I was an undergrad at Texas A&M University, excitement surrounding the emergent hydrogen economy was widespread.
There is no denying the global push for low- or no-carbon energy carriers and transportation technologies, but it would be unrealistic to expect widespread hydrogen use to occur without incident. We should openly acknowledge that renewable natural gas, ammonia, and compressed or liquefied hydrogen each come with their own engineering and safety challenges. The physical realities of energy density, material compatibility, storage and energy conversion processes will need to be addressed. Similarly, the possibility of technology-dependent toxic, flammable and explosion hazards will also require careful consideration in order to ensure the safety of facility employees and the public.
Proper siting of hydrogen or ammonia infrastructure is one key to ensuring public safety and avoiding the derailment of this growing market. History has taught us that successful market transitions are not guaranteed. Major accidents such as the Hindenburg explosion (1937), Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) can create a public outcry to ban, or significantly curtail, a given technology.
Important decisions regarding acceptable levels of safety and required safeguards need to be made. No one should pretend that hydrogen releases will safely float away or that "No Smoking" signs eliminate the possible sources of ignition. Operators should not be expected to seek out invisible hydrogen flames with a broom. Cheaper hydrogen detectors and a better understanding of hydrogen ignition phenomena are worthy short-term goals. Continual education of the public, local regulators, front-line workers and first responders is also critical to success.
Everyone across the industry needs to understand that none of the ongoing efforts to provide carbon-neutral technologies will matter if we fail to continually deliver a record of safe and low-risk operations.
For more information, contact Darren Malik at (210) 824-5960 or DMalik@BakerRisk.com.