What Is Green Hydrogen And Its Excessiveness? A Clean Energy Source Produced By PLN

What is green hydrogen (photo: dock. Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA - The State Electricity Company (PLN) has inaugurated 21 units of Green Hydrogen Plant (GHP) spread across various regions in Indonesia. The development of this green hydrogen factory is an extraordinary achievement for these SOEs. So what is green hydrogen and its excess as a source of clean energy?

Green Hydrogen Plant is predicted to bring Indonesia to become the top 100 largest green hydrogen producing countries in the world. GHP is considered to be providing a big advantage for the country because it has succeeded in producing 199 tons of green hydrogen per year. The inauguration of 21 units of the Green Hydrogen Plant itself has been carried out symbolically on November 20, 2023.

The initiation of GHP development will not only be PLN's achievement, but also in line with the government's vision to achieve carbon-free Indonesia (net zero emissions) by 2060. What is green hydrogen and its formation process needs to be understood by the public.

Green hydrogen is a source of clean energy because it only emits water vapor and does not leave residuals in the air or greenhouse gas carbon emissions. Green hydrogen energy plays a good role in the energy transition period that requires bridges to achieve a consolidation of clean energy.

Green hydrogen is different from fossil fuels because this energy only produces water, electricity, and heat if converted to electricity and heat. Green hydrogen energy not only functions as vehicle fuel, but can also be used for industrial sectors such as concrete production, steel manufacturing, and the manufacture of chemicals and fertilizers.

The formation of green energy uses a technology that involves the separation of hydrogen from oxygen and water. The formation process begins with the electrolysis of water (H2O) which is broken down into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) using electricity.

Green hydrogen is different from other types of hydrogen made of coal and conventional natural gas. The electricity used in the process of forming green hydrogen comes from renewable energy sources. Thus the hydrogen produced is a clean and environmentally friendly source of energy.

Green hydrogen can also play a role in storing energy. By using excess electricity from wind and solar power to produce hydrogen, this energy can be stored and used when needed. So this energy can help overcome the challenges of energy storage from renewable sources.

Based on data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), green hydrogen is able to save up to 830 million tons of CO2 which is usually issued annually. Green hydrogen is a source of energy that is glimpsed because it has the advantage of not producing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The IEA also highlights the advantages of green hydrogen for people's lives and the environment. The advantages of this clean energy are sustainability (not removing pollution during the production and combustion processes), good storage capabilities, and flexibility of use at various purposes.

Green hydrogen is considered to play an important role in the future of clean energy. This energy can be used in the electricity and drinking water generator sector, energy storage, and transportation and mobility. For example, green hydrogen production is used to meet the needs of spacecraft, with compressed hydrogen tanks able to accommodate energy for a long period of time.

In addition to the huge potential that can be produced from green hydrogen, there is a shortage of this energy production. The main challenge of green hydrogen is its high production costs, high energy consumption, and safety concerns in terms of flammable and yawning.

That's a review of what green hydrogen is as a source of clean energy. Although it is still being developed, GHP has great potential as a clean energy system in the future. Currently, many countries and companies are competing to invest and research to develop this technology to be implemented more widely.

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