Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has caused quite a stir in the energy industry by referring to hydrogen energy as ‘silly.’ This remark has elicited reactions from stakeholders, particularly the hydrogen industry. Musk’s comments are particularly apt as the hydrogen industry seeks to find its niche in the emerging green energy economy as concerns over climate change deepen and the need to move away from fossil fuels intensifies.
Understanding the reasons behind Musk’s controversial claims about hydrogen
Musk had been previously critical of hydrogen energy; he’d said it was not a suitable medium for energy storage or fuel. Indeed, in a recent interview, he flat out stated, “Hydrogen is a bad choice,” and once again said that he has been flooded with questions about the use of hydrogen as a way to move away from fossil fuels.
Elon Musk’s remarks were pitched as a spirited advocacy for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which the Tesla CEO thinks is a much more realistic way to attain net-zero emissions. Musk’s comments came just as Toyota was preparing to launch a massive advertising campaign for its hydrogen fuel cell car, Mirai, during the Paris Olympics, which many experts said was unhelpful.
Nam Hoon Kang of the H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology (MEET) conference chairpersonship has unlikely defended Musk’s criticisms. Kang, who also agrees with Musk that hydrogen energy is yet to develop fully and is costly to produce, opines that stakeholders in the industry are striving to overcome such challenges.
However, he warned that the cost of producing hydrogen is still very high, pegged at $10 per kilogram, compared to the goal of the US Department of Energy to achieve $1 per kilogram by 2030. Thus, according to Kang, hydrogen technology is rather perspective but still in its infancy.
Scientists and experts voice their concerns about the hydrogen industry
Hydrogen has similar criticism from other personalities, including Musk and Kang; over 100 scientists, engineers, and academics have signed an open letter to the International Olympic Committee asking them to stop supporting hydrogen vehicles.
They said that hydrogen vehicles consume more renewable electricity than battery electric vehicles and thus increase emissions and further postpone the switch to better solutions. Such sentiment raises a general concern that hydrogen could take the limelight away from the readily available solutions.
As the hydrogen industry claims green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis using renewable energy, the technology is still in its infancy. In electrolysis, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen, using much energy. However, up to date, the cost of generating green hydrogen is still expensive and is in the range of more than $10 per kilogram.
Kang and other industry specialists agree that the primary issue is to bring down the cost of hydrogen fuel, although the difficulties will be especially apparent shortly. Production costs are assumed to increase before they decrease when firms move from producing gray hydrogen, which is produced from fossil fuels, to green hydrogen.
The institutions required for the production, storage, and distribution of hydrogen are also not there, which makes scaling hydrogen technology a challenge. This situation explains why hydrogen has to be turned into a realistic option through research and development efforts to level with other energy sources.
Exploring the potential future of hydrogen in the energy landscape
Critics of hydrogen, however, maintain that, based on continued capital and technological developments, hydrogen can be a significant participant in a diversified energy map. The cost could come down with advancements in the technology of electrolyzers and enhanced generation of renewable energy power.
Furthermore, hydrogen can be used across multiple sectors, from the transport to industrial sectors, and, therefore, could be well placed to help achieve global decarbonization targets. However, today, there are issues such as cost, efficiency, and infrastructure development that the industry must overcome.
Sure, Musk’s criticisms may be blunt and unkind. Still, they remind people of an essential discussion on the future of energy storage and the place of various technologies in making the world more sustainable. With climate change remaining a global issue, the debate over hydrogen will remain prevalent, with timeliness weighing the opinion of skeptics such as Musk against that of hydrogen supporters.
Navigating the energy transition in a rapidly changing landscape
The following statement by Elon Musk that hydrogen energy is “silly” shows that there exists a considerable gap within the energy industry. As much as the sector continues to struggle with costs and technology, there is optimism in the hydrogen sector. This will be a critical discussion as the world moves from one extreme to another on the energy transition between electric vehicles and hydrogen.
Thus, rising investments in research and development must be made to determine whether hydrogen can address these challenges and join the race for a cleaner future. The argument on energy is still open, and the next few years will define the future of those technologies that will bring about changes toward sustainability.
