Technical and economic analysis of different colours of producing hydrogen in China

Abstract

This paper explores the different types of hydrogen production by exploring them and giving each a different colour. From dark to money in descending order, they represent a gradual reduction in pollution. The basic principles, advantages and disadvantages of the respective production methods are explored at a technical level. The learning curve theory calculates the individual learning rates for different hydrogen production methods to increase the installed capacity while reducing the capital investment and cost of hydrogen production. The study concludes that coal-based hydrogen production is currently the primary method of hydrogen production in China in the short term due to its high resource endowment of coal. As CCUS technology matures, converting brown hydrogen to blue hydrogen and grey hydrogen to turquoise hydrogen are the two more economically viable options. For the cleanest form of green hydrogen, the fundamental problems are the impediments of electrolyser technology (PEM, SOEC cannot be commercialised) and the high wind and photovoltaic power cost. The solution is to use wind and light abandonment to increase hydrogen production in the short term and replace fossil energy with renewable energy generation in the long term to achieve clean hydrogen production. For hydrogen energy, the vigorous development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the massive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in transport is essential to achieving carbon neutrality while ensuring the supply of hydrogens such as blue hydrogen and green hydrogen.