Is The ‘Energy Transition’ Driving Incorrect Behaviors?

As the world drives towards zero carbon energy and fuels to save the planet is true science and cradle to grave analysis being correctly applied? Are vested interests of oil and gas companies and technology companies ‘driving’ the agenda? Use of the words ‘green’ and ‘blue’ are obfiscating the environmental impact. The ‘Hydrogen Economy’ is in vogue and gaining traction. ‘Green’ Hydrogen is generated via an electrolysis process using renewable electricity sources…….. and one application for the hydrogen is the use in fuel cells… to produce electricty…….. with an efficiency loss of circa 50%!….. Another application is for power and home heating… but existing gas systems can only absorb circa 30% hydrogen in a blend with natural gas. ‘Blue’ hydrogen requires combustion of hydrocarbons and the resultant Carbon Dioxide emmisions have to be ‘captured’ and ‘hidden’ somehow.

What about Ammonia? NH3… This energy intensive process route requires Hydrogen and Nitrogen (from chemical processes which require energy!!) and synthesis in a chemical reactor to produce (which requires energy for which hydrocarbons are burnt) with the end game being ‘burning’ (actually the hydrogen molecules burn!) the ammonia (creating NOX emissions) or regenerating the Hydrogen ( from another catalytic reaction process) from the Ammonia….. for use in fuel cells to generate electricty!! And ‘Blue Ammonia’ production involves burning hydrocarbons which produce Carbon Dioxide… that has to be captured! The madness of the ‘Ammonia Economy’ is implicit in the attached graphic courtesy of KBR!