Unleash the Full Potential of Hydrogen Power with Skived PTFE Films
The world's hunger for energy has been massively increasing for decades, and a reversal of this trend is not in sight. However, what is on the horizon is the shift towards more renewable and local energy production. In particular, wind, hydro, and solar power are currently in focus. One of the greatest challenges these renewable energy sources face is the transportation and storage of energy to ensure it is available where and when it is needed.
Source: https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption.
Hydrogen could become a key technology, but there are a few challenges to address before its breakthrough in providing the world with clean energy. In this article, we will examine the role of hydrogen, the current challenges, and how skived PTFE films can help overcome various obstacles in hydrogen power supply today and in the future.
Hydrogen is the lightest and a very abundant element on earth with the H2 formula under standard conditions, such as in its gaseous state. The gas is a highly flammable, clean-burning fuel, emitting only water vapour when burned. This makes it very appealing for decarbonising energy supply, but hydrogen is — like electric energy — not a primary but a secondary energy source.
To generate H2, several technologies such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Electrolysis, Coal or Biomass Gasification, as well as thermochemical water splitting using nuclear power, are primarily used today. What all these methods have in common is that energy must be consumed to produce hydrogen, resulting in a negative energy balance.
Through renewable energy as a primary energy source, the aim is to create so-called green hydrogen. Even though its energy balance is negative, producing hydrogen offers several valuable properties that make it a promising energy carrier, capable of helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
H2 has the potential to be stored and transported easily in gas tanks, as a liquid, or as a solid in metal hydrides, making it a strong candidate for energy storage solutions to bridge periods of low energy production or to make energy quickly and easily available in locations other than where it is produced.
Hydrogen power has the potential to become an important renewable energy source and one of the leading sources in the coming decades due to several advantages over traditional fossil fuels mentioned earlier.
If produced from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power with a low environmental impact, its versatility and potential use in a wide range of applications—from powering fuel cell vehicles to providing electricity and heat for buildings, or as an energy source for industry—form the basis for high hopes in H2 at present. Finally, producing green hydrogen can also bring economic benefits, such as creating new industries, generating jobs, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
However, there are also challenges that the hydrogen power supply is facing today. Even though great progress has been made over recent years and many engineers worldwide are working on making H2 power supply more efficient, hydrogen production remains both cost and energy intensive.
Storing hydrogen under high pressure to achieve sufficient energy density for long-distance transport, along with high-end materials, means engineering design must be practical while focusing on risk management and energy losses. Another cost driver is the low volumetric energy density compared to traditional fuels, which requires larger tanks. Combined with the risk of fire and explosion, careful handling, management, and no room for part failure, hydrogen can present logistical challenges.
The good news is that skived PTFE films can help overcome many technical challenges and unlock the full potential of hydrogen power through their use in electrolyzers and fuel cells.
Skived PTFE films are extremely durable and possess high-protection properties to withstand extreme temperatures, chemicals, and radiation. This makes them ideal for applications in harsh environments and demanding uses where non-stick properties and extreme resistance are required.
Skived films offer several advantages over other materials due to their high levels of purity, which is critical for hydrogen production applications. They minimise the risk of impurities in the storage material that could reduce storage capacity and avoid the risk of contamination. Through their precise thickness control, high purity, and excellent mechanical properties, skived films help reduce defects and improve durability.
In fuel cells, skived films are used in gas diffusion layers as gaskets and sub-gaskets for thermal management and electrical insulation to enhance the performance, efficiency, and lifespan of fuel cells.
Compared to the many advantages, benefits over other materials, and added value, skived films are an attractive option for hydrogen production applications as they pay off many times over in reducing overall costs, which is considered one of the major barriers to the widespread adoption of hydrogen power supply systems.
Sometimes small parts can make big differences, and on our journey to satisfy the growing energy demand of the world with more renewable energy, hydrogen power supply can benefit greatly from such small, ultra-thin yet extremely resistant materials that could become hidden champions in future energy supply. We have only scratched the surface of this topic, but as the surface of skived PTFE films is extremely hard to scratch, reach out to your local tape expert today and ignite the hydrogen boost.