Wind, hydrogen and co.
Less than one fifth of the electricity generated globally comes from renewable sources. The United Nations wants to change this – and is calling for a significant expansion of renewable energy in its Sustainable Development Goals. The potential for energy generation from wind, solar, geothermal and biomass is there – but the conversion of the existing energy infrastructure is complex.
Challenge for hydrogen
Energy storage plays a key role in this respect. Because it’s the very potential for solar and wind power itself which is subject to strong fluctuations. Hydrogen could be a storage medium of the future, and at the same time serve as a new source of propulsion for the mobility of tomorrow or for heating buildings. The prerequisite for this is that it must be green hydrogen: climate-friendly through the process of electrolysis with the help of electricity from renewable sources. A corresponding certification from TÜV SÜD provides confirmation of this and prevents ‘greenwashing’.
“It’s about ensuring that we always get green and sustainable energy when we talk about green and sustainable energy. Transparency becomes crucial.“
Thore Lapp
TÜV SÜD Business Unit Manager Green Energy & Sustainability
The key is the technological implementation
The fossil energy industry has an extensive infrastructure in place that has been developed over decades. The ideal solution would be if this could also be used for the transportation of green hydrogen. However, hydrogen has different properties than, for example, natural gas – and transport pipelines or turbines can become overwhelmed by the energy source. It’s a good thing that TÜV SÜD’s services cover the entire hydrogen value chain – and also provide support for technical aspects of storage, transport and distribution in existing or new plants.
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