The Growing Bridge Between Hydrogen & Solar

When it comes to the global energy transition, any step toward cleaner, greener sources is an improvement over carbon-intensive methods in any production industry.

This is why hydrogen is not always viewed as problematic by proponents of renewables. In fact, depending on how it is produced, hydrogen has the potential to be just as green as any other method.

Recently, companies pushing toward greener hydrogen production have begun utilizing independent, “off-grid” solar systems to power their plants. According to Aaron Burkhart, an executive at Doman Energy Group, this coupling of hydrogen and solar has huge implications for the renewable energy changeover, yet very few people outside the engineering space are talking about it.

“It’s like putting solar on your house, but instead, you’re putting solar on your industry,” Burkhart says. “Hydrogen can be energy-intensive to produce, which mitigates some of its overall benefits. Those companies that are now using solar to power their hydrogen production are creating a template that, with any luck, other industries and sectors will emulate.”

Indeed, many solar proponents see green hydrogen facilities as a sort of “test bed” for a much broader concept. In their vision, the next few decades will see major energy-intensive projects not only become self-sufficient but potentially turn into net contributors to the growing, renewable-powered grid.

Hydrogen Production, Usage, and Demand

Regardless of how it is produced, there’s no denying that hydrogen has seen increasing demand over the past few years, particularly when it comes to power generation. For instance, one of the most common energy-related uses of hydrogen is in fuel cells, transportation, and the agricultural sector. These cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, with the only byproduct being water. Hydrogen can also be used as a fuel for internal combustion engines, though this process can produce nitrogen oxides, making it not 100% clean. Most importantly of all, hydrogen can be used in turbines and engines to generate electricity.

As the simplest and most abundant element on Earth, it certainly makes sense to utilize hydrogen for whatever we can, and the past decade or so has seen the world do just that. The International Energy Agency reports that global hydrogen use reached 95 metric tons in 2022. This represents a nearly 3% increase year-on-year, with strong growth in virtually all major consuming regions. However, at the end of 2021, around 47% of hydrogen production was from natural gas, while 27% was from coal. This leaves a pretty dark stain on what might otherwise be an earth-friendly power source.

Indeed, despite its benefits, isolating and producing hydrogen can be quite energy-intensive. The most popular method is steam-methane reforming, which extracts hydrogen from natural gas. Unfortunately, this is also the approach with the most carbon emissions. Obviously, the reliance on natural gasses like methane means there’s no way to make this process much greener.

Electrolysis, on the other hand, involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. Again, this requires large amounts of electricity. But the good news here is that the process doesn’t have to involve fossil fuels. If a production facility were to utilize wind and solar to meet their energy needs, they could essentially produce no-emission, guilt-free hydrogen. Up until a few decades ago, this was not considered a feasible solution. But decades of efficiency, engineering, and affordability advancements have completely changed that.

“Now the question isn’t about ‘if,’ by ‘when,’” says Burkhart. “Most new hydrogen facilities are at least willing to consider implementing an off-grid solar system. That’s great, but we also need to get existing facilities onboard by letting them know that solar is capable of meeting and exceeding their energy needs.”

How Solar Helps Hydrogen Go “Green”

It’s clear that the future environmental impact and sustainability of hydrogen as an energy source will largely depend on how it is produced. However, as with most things related to renewables, the struggle lies in convincing hydrogen producers that embracing solar is the best pathway forward. “Green hydrogen is environmentally friendly, emits no greenhouse gases, and can play a huge role in helping countries achieve carbon neutrality,” says Burkhart. “Still, it isn’t a matter of just snapping your fingers. These systems need to be custom-built to a facility’s needs and optimized to ensure affordability.”

Indeed, the primary issue with solar has always been cost. However, many private and public organizations are largely unaware of just how much those costs have declined in recent years. This, coupled with massive increases in efficiency, paints a completely new picture of what a solar-powered green hydrogen facility could look like. “It’s traditionally made sense to connect hydrogen facilities to the grid because of the extensive energy needs,” Burkhart says. “But this increasing coupling between solar and hydrogen is seeing companies construct their solar right alongside their hydrogen projects.

The development of prototype systems for solar-powered hydrogen production showcases the potential for other energy-intensive industries to adopt similar off-grid solar projects. The rationale is that if an industry requires substantial power from the grid, investing in an integrated solar energy system may be more cost-effective. “It gives them full energy autonomy,” Burkhart adds. “It also drastically slashes their short- and long-term costs.”

More importantly, this approach can help industries reduce their dependence on the grid and lower their carbon footprint, instantly aligning them with global efforts toward sustainable and renewable energy solutions.​ 

Doman Energy and the Future of Green Hydrogen

Burkhart’s company, Doman Energy Group, has long since seen the potential of solar-based energy independence. “Doman has been around since the 1990s,” Burkhart says. “Back then, solar was young and expensive. Still, the most forward-looking engineers of the time saw immense potential in off-grid industrial projects. And while that’s currently becoming a reality for hydrogen facilities, it won’t end there.”

Doman specializes in utility-scale solar. These are larger projects that connect to the grid, with the goal being to supply excess power rather than draw it. “We’re finally seeing those concepts that engineers have talked about for decades come to life,” Burkhart says. “Self-sufficiency is the end goal for hydrogen plants, because they’re already designed to supply power. But other solar-powered facilities can also turn into miniature power plants by distributing their net excess to the grid.”

The transition to renewables has indeed been a thorn in the side of many of the world’s largest and most energy-intensive industries. Processes like aluminum production and steel manufacturing, to name a few, all necessitate vast amounts of power. And while there has been some push to reduce carbon emissions in these sectors, most seem to be waiting for regulation to “force” them into switching.

In the near future, we’ll have more power generated by renewables than not. This means those industries that pull from the grid will, by definition, be greener. However, what if we can make them self-sufficient by integrating on-site solar production? Or what if we can turn them into a part-time power plant for nearby homes and businesses?”

The IEA reports that renewable expansion continues to grow at a rapid pace. In 2020, around 16% of global primary energy came from renewable sources. By 2050, analysts expect that figure to reach 77%. For their part, Doman and Burkhart see the future of energy not just in terms of renewability but also in terms of versatility. “The current energy distribution model only goes one way,” he says. “To really maximize efficiency, you need a network of consumers who are also producers. It starts with powering individual facilities, but there’s no end to the potential.”