The widespread adoption of hydrogen in various transportation and industrial sectors poses a significant challenge, but there are possibilities for its implementation.
Hydrogen is not limited to transportation but is also beginning to penetrate other areas, including industry, where it could gradually replace fossil fuels. However, this transition will take some time. In addition to the high cost of hydrogen production from renewable sources, which still have limited capacities, there are other obstacles that need to be overcome.
Regarding hydrogen, several drawbacks are mentioned, with one of them being its wide flammability range. Can we consider this gas to be safe?
“I always say that the safety of any technology depends on how safely we can create it. Nowadays, with high-quality compression rings, connections, and devices, we can prevent explosions. However, the risk still exists. Therefore, it is essential to conscientiously adhere to safety regulations, have ventilation and backup ventilation systems to allow hydrogen to escape more easily,” says Professor Tomáš Brestovič from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of (TUKE).
The risk of explosion can also be significantly reduced in low-pressure systems, such as storing hydrogen in metal hydrides, which are also being experimented with at TUKE.
The possibilities are extensive. According to Brestovič, there is likely no means of transportation where hydrogen is not being utilized in some way.
Researchers worldwide are exploring ways to apply hydrogen in other sectors, including industry, where coal, natural gas, and oil, including various derived products, are currently heavily utilized. There are even experiments with blending hydrogen with natural gas, which could potentially be used for heating regular households in the future.
