Hydrogen

frequently asked questions

Hydrogen is a chemical element that is a gas at room temperature and at normal atmospheric pressure. It is the most common element in our universe and has no smell or colour. Hydrogen consists of two atoms that have been assigned the letter H (from Hydrogenium, the Latin name for hydrogen). That is why it is also written as H2.

Hydrogen in gas form weighs very little. If it is released into a room, it will therefore rise quickly (faster than natural gas, for example). Hydrogen is also very flammable. When it burns, H2O (or water) is produced. This means combustion does not cause pollution and does not produce CO2 emissions. Read more about hydrogen at theworldofhydrogen.com.

Everything that lives on earth consists of hydrogen compounds and cannot live without them. But hydrogen rarely exists in isolation here on Earth. It is attached to other atoms, for example in water.

Hydrogen can be separated from other atoms using electricity. If you put water under an electric current, oxygen is created on the positive side of the current (the + pole or anode) and hydrogen is created on the negative side (the - pole or cathode). The water (H2O) is thus decomposed into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O) by the electricity, a process we call electrolysis. The system in which this takes place is called an electrolyser. The oxygen and hydrogen released in the system are captured separately.

We distinguish between ‘green’, ‘blue’ and ‘grey’ hydrogen, but that says nothing about the hydrogen itself. It is the same in all cases. Instead, the colour says something about how the hydrogen is made:

  • Green (also called renewable) hydrogen is made by electrolysis with green electricity (for example, from offshore wind farms).
  • Grey hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels, such as natural gas (CH4). This releases CO2.
  • Blue hydrogen is made by capturing this released CO2 and storing it underground, which reduces the amount of CO2 released in the air.

Hydrogen isn’t new, and it’s already an important raw material for industry. In the Netherlands, 800 kilotons of hydrogen are used annually as a raw material for producing things like fertiliser. Hydrogen can also be used as a raw material to make fuel for aircraft. In this way, it contributes to making air travel more sustainable. 

Hydrogen is also frequently used to store energy for those times when there is not enough sustainable solar and wind energy. Hydrogen is easy to store for long periods of time and transport to industry. For example, it can be used for food production processes. In recent years, producing steel with hydrogen has become more common. There are also cars and lorries in the Netherlands that run on hydrogen. Read more about hydrogen at theworldofhydrogen.com.

There are many reasons to switch to hydrogen. The most important reason is the climate. To slow down global warming, we need to reduce CO2 emissions. We cannot do that if we continue to use fossil fuels. The switch to green hydrogen produced with green electricity – from, for example, offshore wind farms – is also important for the emission of other substances, like nitrogen. In view of the energy crisis, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and the need to reduce dependence on Russian gas and on less reliable regimes in general, there are even more reasons to build a new energy system in which hydrogen plays a significant role.

As with all fuels, there are risks involved in using hydrogen. There have been accidents with hydrogen in the past. The most famous is the explosion of a large Zeppelin – the Hindenburg – in 1937. This caused many people to think that hydrogen is much more dangerous than the fossil fuels we use today. But that is not true.

The risks associated with using and transporting hydrogen are similar to those associated with natural gas or LPG. In the Netherlands, we have a lot of experience with the safe use and transport of natural gas. We are using this knowledge to create a safe network for hydrogen. In many cases, we can use the existing gas distribution network, with minor adjustments. This makes an efficient switch from natural gas to hydrogen possible.

The national hydrogen network is realised by Hynetwork, a subsidiary of Gasunie. For the answer to this question and other transport-related topics, please refer to the Frequently asked questions on the Hynetwork website.

The national hydrogen network is realised by Hynetwork, a subsidiary of Gasunie. For the answer to this question and other transport-related topics, please refer to the Frequently asked questions on the Hynetwork website.

The national hydrogen network is realised by Hynetwork, a subsidiary of Gasunie. For the answer to this question and other transport-related topics, please refer to the Frequently asked questions on the Hynetwork website.

The national hydrogen network is realised by Hynetwork, a subsidiary of Gasunie. For the answer to this question and other transport-related topics, please refer to the Frequently asked questions on the Hynetwork website.

In the Netherlands, we have a long history of safety and security in the construction and operation of natural gas pipelines and the transport of natural gas. Strict safety standards are applied, enforced and monitored by the government.
Hynetwork applies the same strict safety requirements as its parent company Gasunie, and it uses their knowledge and experience.
Although the properties of natural gas and hydrogen are different, both energy carriers can be transported safely through existing natural gas pipelines, given the right modifications.

The sustainable generation of electricity from solar and wind energy is not always regular. Sometimes the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow 24 hours a day. On days with a lot of sun and wind, it is possible to convert the surplus energy into hydrogen. This hydrogen can then be stored in large quantities for a long time, for example in underground salt caverns for later use. In this way, you can create a reliable energy system, even on days with less sun and wind.

There are also industrial processes for which the use of electricity is impossible because that would require substantial investments, the technology is not yet available, or the electrical equipment does not produce high temperatures reliably or sufficiently. In such cases, hydrogen can offer a solution. Moreover, unlike electricity, hydrogen can be used as a raw material. The hydrogen that is now used as a raw material is mainly produced from natural gas (grey hydrogen), and we want to replace that with green hydrogen as quickly as possible.

For the time being, private homes will not be connected to hydrogen. Green hydrogen (produced with green electricity) is still in short supply. It is important to make smart choices about where (green) hydrogen can be used and where it will have the greatest effect. For domestic use, such as heating, showering and cooking, there are already suitable sustainable alternatives, such as electric heating. 

However, it is not possible for all residential areas to switch to electricity. That is why there are now several pilot projects where residential areas are being connected to hydrogen. These include neighbourhoods in Hoogeveen, the village of Stad aan 't Haringvliet and projects like The Green Village on the campus of Delft University of Technology. Gasunie is participating in some of these pilot projects as a knowledge partner.

There will not be much to see in the short term. Private homes will not be connected to hydrogen networks in the foreseeable future. However, hydrogen will be visible in transport in the coming years. The use of hydrogen is gaining popularity, especially in heavy transport, and the number of hydrogen filling stations will gradually increase.

There is already a lot of information about hydrogen online. For more background information on hydrogen, visit these websites:

You can find information on the government’s plans for hydrogen at: