Hydrogen has a reputation for being one of the main renewable energy sources of the future that can hopefully help reduce global CO2 emissions across sectors such as energy storage systems and transportation. IDTechEx's portfolio of Hydrogen Research Reports and Subscriptions covers routes to producing different types of hydrogen, and their main applications.
Green and blue hydrogen
Electrolysis is the key technology for producing green hydrogen, which is considered the cleanest and most sustainable form of hydrogen. Despite all electrolyzer technologies using water and electricity to produce hydrogen and oxygen, they differ significantly in their operating principles, performance characteristics, and operating conditions. For example, alkaline water electrolyzers (AELs), anion exchange membrane electrolyzers (AEMELs), and proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (PEMELs) are all low-temperature technologies, while solid oxide electrolyzers (SOECs) require high-temperature operation.
Green hydrogen is emerging as a key low-carbon hydrogen solution, driven largely by global decarbonization initiatives. Key drivers include supportive policies, such as emissions reduction targets, carbon pricing, and tax credits, alongside increasing private sector investment and technological advancements that improve manufacturing processes and system efficiency. IDTechEx's report, "Green Hydrogen Production & Electrolyzer Market 2027-2037: Technologies, Players, Forecasts", covers key drivers, funding mechanisms, market developments across the world.
Blue hydrogen, on the other hand, utilizes existing infrastructure for hydrogen production while incorporating carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies to capture and store CO2 emissions. This approach enables continued development of the hydrogen supply chain while green hydrogen continues to face challenges such as high capital and operational costs. IDTechEx's report, "Blue Hydrogen Production and Markets 2026-2036: Technologies, Forecasts, Players", explores the role of blue hydrogen as a transitional pathway towards a wider adoption of hydrogen, enabled by its greater scalability and compatibility with existing hydrogen production infrastructure.
Fuel cells for energy storage and transportation
Fuel cells used for stationary energy storage or in electric vehicles provide a means of utilizing hydrogen across major sectors to lessen the strain on the grid, or to provide means of cutting transportation emissions. Fuel cells operate by hydrogen fuel being inputted alongside oxygen, and producing electricity, water, and heat as byproducts of an electrochemical reaction that takes place. Multiple fuel cells working together form a stack, with combined stacks then making up an entire fuel cell system.
IDTechEx's report, "Stationary Fuel Cell Markets 2025-2035: Technologies, Players & Forecasts", focuses specifically on fuel cells that operate in a fixed place. The six types of fuel cell technologies in the report include proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). SOFCs are a common option for stationary applications for continuous power generation, and despite having long startup times and high costs, they are favored for their high-power output, fuel flexibility, and combined heat and power efficiency.
PEMFCs are a fuel cell type commonly used not only for backup power, but also for mobile applications, such as within the transportation sector. Their quick startup times and high energy and power densities make them ideal for vehicles. Some of the drawbacks of PEMFCs outlined by IDTechEx include their high costs, like many other fuel cell technologies, their short cell lifetimes, and requirement for ultrapure hydrogen. Their intolerance to CO impurities can make PEMFCs difficult to work with and deploy on a large scale, as ultrapure hydrogen is not as easy to get hold of and therefore comes at an increased cost. However, IDTechEx's report identifies that high temperature PEMFCs, which can tolerate lower grade hydrogen, are now being developed, and will hopefully provide a way around this issue.
Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have multiple attractions, not only including environmental benefits as a result of no harmful emissions and improved air quality, but also range, refuelling, and infrastructure benefits. FCEVs are reported by IDTechEx in their report, "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2025-2045: Markets, Technologies, Forecasts", to have greater energy density and much faster refuelling times than battery electric vehicles, meaning long charge times do not have to be accounted for, and vehicles can be filled up as quickly as with traditional fuels.
For more information on the hydrogen market, visit IDTechEx's portfolio of Hydrogen Research Reports and Subscriptions for the latest research and developments across hydrogen-related technologies.
