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High Potential Hydrogen Economy 2024 Continues to Gain Momentum

JUMO, a key player in industrial sensor and automation technology, is gearing up for the hydrogen economy rise as a crucial part of the global energy transition. Rainer Moritz, Market Segment Manager for Renewable Energies at JUMO, highlights the companys commitment to providing efficient solutions as a development partner in this transformative journey.

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JUMO offers efficient solutions as a development partner, says Rainer Moritz, Market Segment Manager for Renewable Energies, JUMO.

JUMO sees hydrogen as a promising technology for the future and wants to participate in its dynamic development
JUMO sees hydrogen as a promising technology for the future and
wants to participate in its dynamic development

The gaining momentum of the global hydrogen economy as an important component of the energy transition is in full swing. JUMO wants to participate in this development, focuses on the requirements of the hydrogen economy as a system and solution provider, and consistently aligns its product portfolio accordingly.

The European Commission has set the goal of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as part of the European Green Deal. Europe is set to become the first climate-neutral continent. In the USA and Canada, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region, efforts are also being made to initiate the transition to a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy.

The expansion of renewable energies is directly linked to the gaining momentum of the hydrogen economy. To create the planned climate-neutral green hydrogen, the required electricity must come from renewable energy sources. Bridging technologies for the production of hydrogen will undoubtedly be necessary for the momentum.

Germany defines the EU hydrogen strategy for itself in the "National Hydrogen Strategy Update" publication. Other European countries are doing the same. France, for example, does so as part of the "France 2030" plan. 2030 is always an important milestone for the increasing momentum of the hydrogen economy. The European Commission has set a goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Areas of application for clean hydrogen

Hydrogen plays a crucial role in the energy transition for several reasons. It is a versatile energy carrier that can be produced cleanly and leaves only water as a by-product when burned or used in fuel cells. This makes it an attractive alternative to fossil fuels and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another reason for the importance of hydrogen is its storage capacity. It can serve as long-term energy storage, ideally for surplus current from renewable energy

The JUMO safetyM safety temperature limiter is used to implement complete safety measuring chains
The JUMO safetyM safety temperature limiter is used to
implement complete safety measuring chains

sources. Electrolysis can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, whereby the hydrogen produced can be stored and later converted back into current or heat as required.

In addition, hydrogen offers the opportunity to decarbonise sectors that are difficult to electrify. For example heavy goods traffic, shipping, aviation, and steel production. By using hydrogen as an energy source these industries can drastically reduce their emissions and contribute to climate neutrality.

Success factors for the hydrogen economy are further advances in technology, competitive costs, an improved infrastructure for the manufacturing, storage, and distribution of hydrogen as well as increased cooperation between governments, companies, and research institutions.

Technical requirements at a glance

The use of hydrogen as an energy source entails specific material requirements that play a key role in the safety, efficiency, and long life cycle of the systems. As hydrogen is handled at high pressure and in some cases at high temperatures, materials that can withstand these conditions are required.

Hydrogen can penetrate certain materials and change their structure, which can lead to cracks and fractures. Special alloys or coatings are therefore required to reduce hydrogen absorption and maintain long-term material resistance.

To meet these requirements, the choice of suitable alloys, coatings, and material combinations plays an important role. Innovative manufacturing processes and many years of experience with hydrogen are highly beneficial in ensuring that hydrogen technologies are safe, reliable, and efficient.

New requirements have also arisen in the periphery of hydrogen technologies. For example, ultra-pure water of very high quality is required to operate an electrolyzer. Ultra-pure water is split into hydrogen and oxygen by an electrolyzer using electrical energy.

Ultra-pure water monitoring in the electrolyzer

The JUMO SIRAS P21 pressure transmitter measures reliably and precisely in hydrogen and other liquids, steam, and gases
The JUMO SIRAS P21 pressure transmitter measures reliably and
precisely in hydrogen and other liquids, steam, and gases

Different design types of electrolyzers are available. The common feature is that they work with ultra-pure water as an input measurand. Inside the electrolyzer are 2 electrodes, one positive (anode) and one negative (cathode), which are immersed in the water.

When an electric current is passed through the water, the ultra-pure water H2O splits into its gaseous components H2 and O2 at the electrodes. The gases produced − oxygen and hydrogen − are collected separately. They can then be used for various applications or further processed for storage.

In PEM electrolyzers, for example, a membrane divides the anode and the cathode to separate the oxygen and hydrogen, while in alkaline electrolyzers a solution serves as the electrolyte and simultaneously transports the ions between the electrodes.

An important measurand for the electrolyzer is the constant monitoring and control of the ultra-pure water quality at the input. This is done using conductivity probes which report the conductivity in µS/cm. Continuous monitoring not only protects against damage, but also guarantees the longest possible service life of the components and thereby contributes to extending the necessary maintenance intervals.

Our company is also experiencing a significant boost in business and we see enormous growth opportunities in the hydrogen sector. JUMO adapts its products for use in hydrogen and certifies them where necessary. The existing production facilities have only been slightly modified while the necessary increase in the number of units can often be achieved from the production reserve.

Handling hydrogen requires extensive safety precautions and measurement technology expertise, be it in the manufacturing of ultra-pure water for feeding the electrolyzer or in monitoring electrolytic conductivity. Digital pressure and temperature sensors from JUMO ensure the monitoring of thermodynamic processes and offer safe as well as reliable technology that is also explosion-proof. We supply numerous DAX-listed flagships of German industry, which in turn install our applications in their plants.

The JUMO portfolio for hydrogen applications includes the JUMO tecLine CR / JUMO digiLine CR system so that a reliable solution for this measuring task can be found. As a development partner for sensor and automation solutions, JUMO often also offers individual system solutions for customer-specific electrolyzer concepts.

The future with hydrogen

Hydrogen has been an important raw material in various industries for decades. In the chemical industry, hydrogen is used to manufacture ammonia, methanol, and

Rainer Moritz
Rainer Moritz

other products. Hydrogen is also used in oil refineries to desulphurize fuels. The climate-neutral manufacturing of hydrogen enables the decarbonization of existing industries and also opens up great opportunities for many other industrial sectors with new applications to achieve climate neutrality.

For example, the energy-intensive heavy industry has started to switch to hydrogen as a fuel for steel manufacturing to reduce CO2 emissions. In the transportation sector, hydrogen is seen as the fuel of the future for fuel cells. Hydrogen or one of its derivatives is being promoted as an energy source, particularly in heavy goods transportation, buses, trains, shipping, and aviation. In the energy supply network, hydrogen can serve as a long-term storage medium and, for example, compensate for fluctuations in electricity generation or be distributed via the gas network and converted into heat.

The potential areas of application are numerous and will become more attractive as the availability of competitive green hydrogen increases. Further potential arises from the widespread application of hydrogen due to sector coupling. Hydrogen is the connecting link using so-called "power-to-X" technologies. The features and possible applications of hydrogen will pave the way for efficiently linking the electricity generation, heat supply, transport, and industrial sectors while increasing the overall efficiency of this system through synergy effects.

The JUMO corporate group, based in Fulda, Germany, employs over 2,500 people worldwide. It is the leading system and solution provider in the field of industrial sensor and automation technology. JUMO products are used in industries such as heating and air conditioning, food and beverage, renewable energies, and water and wastewater. The company posted a turnover of 312 million euro in 2023.

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