Things you didn’t know about hydrogen

REDUCING EMISSIONS

August 24th, 2022

What is hydrogen? 8 hydrogen facts to understand the future of energy.

Hydrogen is everywhere. From deep inside stars to the water here on Earth, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. And it’s shaping up to play an important role in our energy future.

What is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a low-emission energy carrier that has huge potential when it comes to decarbonizing heavy-emitting sectors – like those that make steel, cement, fuels and petrochemicals, which are difficult to electrify. Demand is growing – in fact, in 2020 the world doubled its capacity to produce low-carbon hydrogen and the International Energy Agency expects demand to increase another 44% by 2030.

To help meet that demand, we’re planning a new hydrogen plant at our Baytown, Texas, facility, which could produce up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of blue hydrogen – that’s about six times larger than typical hydrogen plants that exist today. By switching to hydrogen, the existing facility could reduce its emissions by up to 30% compared to current operations.

Here are eight hydrogen facts to know when it comes to its role in the energy transition and a lower-emissions future.

1. Hydrogen is the most plentiful atom in the universe.

Hydrogen is the first element on the periodic table and the most abundant, making up roughly 90% of atoms in the universe. It’s also considered the simplest element, as it only contains one proton and one electron.

2. Hydrogen is versatile.

While hydrogen is primarily used to create products like gasoline, lubricants and petrochemical products from refined oil today, it has the potential to power industrial facilities or fuel heavy-duty vehicles in the future.

3. Hydrogen produces no emissions at point-of-use.

Hydrogen does not emit any greenhouse gases at its point-of-use – only water vapor. This makes it an attractive low-emission fuel.

4. Hydrogen is described in many colors.

Although hydrogen is colorless, the different ways to produce hydrogen are categorized by color. Most hydrogen produced today is “grey” and created by splitting natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, with the CO₂ released into the atmosphere.

Blue hydrogen uses the same process, but the CO₂ is captured and stored using carbon capture and storage technology. Green hydrogen is produced when renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

There is no significant difference between the emissions intensity of blue and green hydrogen, but blue hydrogen is often significantly less expensive to produce, according to industry experts.

Other “colors” of hydrogen include pink, turquoise and yellow, among others.

5. Hydrogen is essential to meeting society’s net-zero goals.

Achieving the Paris Agreement’s climate goals will require the broad deployment of several lower-emission technologies and fuel sources, like hydrogen. While this is no small task, the good news is hydrogen could be compatible with existing natural gas infrastructure, meaning it could take less time and cost less money to bring online than other lower-emission approaches.

Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels could meet 10% of global energy needs and reduce 6% of total cumulative emissions under the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 scenario, according to the IEA.

Ultimately, hydrogen may help provide energy security, as well as play an important role in the energy transition to lower-carbon fuels.

6. Hydrogen demand is set to double by 2030.

Global hydrogen demand is forecasted to more than double by 2030, with substantial increases from the power, industrial and transportation sectors. We estimate the size of the hydrogen market globally could be more than $1.5 trillion by 2050.

7. ExxonMobil is planning to produce blue hydrogen.

We’re planning our first world-scale blue hydrogen plant at our integrated refining and petrochemical facility in Baytown, Texas. Once operational, the new plant could produce up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of blue hydrogen, helping cut fuel-related emissions at the existing complex and nearby industrial facilities.

Applying its expertise in CCS and natural gas, ExxonMobil already possesses the capabilities to bring low-emission hydrogen production to scale.

8. Clear and consistent policy is essential to scaling up hydrogen.

While some of the infrastructure for hydrogen is already in place and demand is rising, clear and consistent government policies are still needed to accelerate hydrogen’s deployment — particularly at a pace necessary to reach societal net-zero goals. For example, a fixed carbon price could help establish market incentives and provide the stability required for further industry investments.

Learn more about how ExxonMobil is using hydrogen to lower emissions

Hydrogen: Another chapter in ExxonMobil’s lower-emissions ambitions There’s a buzz in Baytown, Texas. The city just outside of Houston is already home to one of ExxonMobil’s largest integrated refining and chemical complexes. It’s also the site of the company’s recently announced plan to build a world-scale blue hydrogen facility.

Carbon capture Perspective • March 9, 2022

Explore more

Guyana investments yield a growing source of energy for the world

ExxonMobil recently started producing oil from our second offshore development in Guyana, bringing the country’s capacity to more than 340,000 barrels a day, up from zero three years ago. By the end of the decade, oil production from Guyana, on the northern coast of South America, could exceed 1 million barrels a day – enough to make it one of the world’s top 20 producers.

Advancing climate solutions Perspective

ExxonMobil announces ambition for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil today announced its ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions for operated assets by 2050, backed by a comprehensive approach to develop detailed emission-reduction roadmaps for major facilities and assets.

News News releases

Why ExxonMobil's Permian net zero plan by 2030 matters

ExxonMobil today announced a major step forward in our efforts to support a lower-emissions future: By 2030, we plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) from our unconventional oil and natural gas operated production in the Permian Basin in the United States.

Advancing climate solutions Viewpoints

Capturing carbon around the world

With more than three decades of experience in utilizing existing CCS technologies and exploring new ones, ExxonMobil is progressing CCS deployment through a variety of projects and partnerships across the globe.

Here’s a look at the company’s global carbon capture and storage technology footprint.

Carbon capture Energy Factor

A model for emissions reductions: Asia’s carbon capture and storage opportunity

Joe Blommaert, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, delivered the keynote address on the conference’s opening day, outlining how collaborative approaches among government, academia and industry could help reduce emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement goals, even as the world – in particular the Asia-Pacific region – increases its energy use and demand for products that support modern life.

Carbon capture Energy Factor

ExxonMobil increases participation in Scotland carbon capture and storage project

IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil has increased its participation in the proposed Acorn carbon capture project in Scotland by signing an Expression of Interest to capture, transport and store CO₂ from its Fife Ethylene Plant.

News News releases

ExxonMobil and Rosneft to cooperate in carbon management

IRVING, Texas and MOSCOW, Russia – ExxonMobil and Rosneft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on the assessment of lower-carbon technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. The companies will consider the prospects of new projects initially focused on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and the development of lower-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen and ammonia.

News News releases

Putting Houston’s carbon capture and storage potential into perspective

A carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub in Houston could dramatically accelerate the deployment of CCS technology in the United States. Originally proposed by ExxonMobil, this hub is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry and power generation.

Carbon capture Energy Factor

ExxonMobil affiliate to produce renewable diesel to help reduce transportation emissions in Canada

IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil today announced its majority-owned affiliate, Imperial Oil Ltd., is moving forward with plans to produce renewable diesel at a new complex at its Strathcona refinery in Edmonton, Canada. When construction is complete, the refinery is expected to produce approximately 20,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel, which could reduce emissions in the Canadian transportation sector by about 3 million metric tons per year. The complex will utilize locally grown plant-based feedstock and hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (CCS) as part of the manufacturing process.

News News releases