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What potential for natural hydrogen?

The different means of hydrogen production are often linked to a colour, this palette enables a rapid understanding of where the hydrogen comes from and what carbon footprint is associated to its production. Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it rarely exists in pure form, and is generally combined with other atoms. The exception is White hydrogen, which was thought to be rare, but whose potential is being uncovered now.

Focus area

2 Raise awareness about hydrogen technologies

The colours of hydrogen (preferably green)

Hydrogen is known to come in a variety of different colours – Black, Grey, Green, Blue, Turquoise, Pink or Yellow – depending on its mean of production. Green hydrogen, for example, is produced from electrolysis of the water molecule using electricity from renewable sources, like solar or wind power. This is how we produce hydrogen on board Energy Observer; thanks to the electricity produced by our solar panels, we split the molecule of purified water that we pump and desalinise straight from the sea.

Solar panels on the boat

More information to be found on energy-observer.org.