USA’s leading energy company, Philips 66, and green hydrogen producer, Plug Power, have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly undertake the mission to develop low-carbon hydrogen and install the technology within the USA refinery operations.
As per the signed MoU, the two companies will work on scaling up the low-carbon hydrogen technology for industrial applications and will multiply green hydrogen fuelling in transportation. Further, Philips 66 has started building the green hydrogen production units in New York, California, Georgia and Tennessee, which will together contribute 500 tonnes/day of liquid hydrogen by 2025.
The hydrogen obtained along with oxygen by splitting of water through electrochemical means that employ renewable electricity sources like solar or wind energy is termed as ‘green hydrogen’. Hydrogen can be used to fuel automobiles, heat buildings, generate electricity and store energy. Hydrogen is also an industrially important chemical as it is widely used in petroleum refining, metal treatment, food processing, and fertilizer production.
As per ChemAnalyst, despite the production being challenging, green hydrogen energy, due to its zero-carbon emission during its production and combustion, has emerged as an alternative for the conventionally used fuels. The growing demand for hydrogen is also backed by the support from environmentalists and strict government laws. Investing into hydrogen energy has a great future as it will mark the transition of refinery operations towards sustainable processes and will also reduce the global carbon footprint.
