Top 10: Uses of Hydrogen Power
Hydrogen, when produced from renewable sources, offers a clean energy alternative that produces only water during use.
It can provide security by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and long-term energy storage to give stability for intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar.
This abundant element has the potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors like heavy industry and long distance transportation alongside providing everyday power.
We’ve ranked 10 of the top uses of hydrogen power and the companies pioneering them.
10. Hydrogen-powered trains - Alstom
CEO: Henri Poupart-Lafarge
Headquarters: Paris, France
Founded: 1928
Revenue: US$19.5bn (2023)
Alstom Coradia iLint is the world’s first hydrogen powered passenger train. It was unveiled in 2016 and entered into commercial service for the first time in Germany in 2018. The trains run on hydrogen fuel cells and exhaust only water.
Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom in the Americas, says: “Alstom has clearly taken the lead in supporting rail operators and authorities in their environmental transformation, thanks to its unmatched portfolio of green solutions and its ability to bring together the best players in the industry.”
9. Steel production - ArcelorMittal
CEO: Aditya Mittal
Headquarters: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Founded: 2006
Revenue: US$68.2bn
ArcelorMittal makes steel in Hamburg, Germany using hydrogen. Its Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) furnace is fed with natural gas and in the future the company’s new Hamburg plant will be able to run on green hydrogen.
"Our site is the most energy-efficient production plant at ArcelorMittal", says Dr Uwe Braun, CEO at ArcelorMittal Hamburg.
"With the new, hydrogen-based DRI plant we are now planning, we will raise steel production to a completely new level, as part of our Europe-wide ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050.”
8. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks - Hyundai
CEO: Jaehoon Chang
Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
Founded: 1967
Revenue: US$123.5bn (2023)
Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Truck is the world’s first commercialised fuel cell heavy duty truck. It has an all-electric range of 400km and its hydrogen tank can store 31kg of H2. The pressurised hydrogen reacts with oxygen to create electricity, producing only water and the hydrogen fuel cell does not require engine oil or urea, lowering operating costs.
The first consignment of these vehicles were exported to Switzerland in 2020. As of September 2023, the trucks have logged more than seven million kilometres without any major safety failures.
7. Hydrogen powered data centres - Microsoft
CEO: Satya Nadella
Headquarters: Washington, US
Founded: 1975
Revenue: US$211.9bn (2023)
Microsoft is testing hydrogen generators to power its data centres, producing no emissions. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology allows fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen and has been successful in Microsoft’s tests at three megawatts. In 2022, the company was able to power a data centre for 48 hours using this technology.
Sean James, Microsoft’s Director of Datacentre Research, says that the hydrogen generators are a “moon landing moment.
“We have a generator that produces no emissions. It’s mind-blowing.”
6. Aviation fuel - Airbus
CEO: Guillaume Faury
Headquarters: Blagnac, France
Founded: 1970
Revenue: US$53.1bn (2023)
Airbus aims to bring the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft to market by 2035. Its ZEROe project is exploring configurations and technologies to achieve this alongside preparing the ecosystem that produces and supplies hydrogen.
The ZEROe project has four concept aircraft, three of which have hybrid hydrogen engines and one that is fully electrical. Airbus’ electric concept aircraft propulsion system prototype was powered on in January 2024 at 1.2 megawatts, enough energy to power 12 electric cars.
5. Maritime transport - Maersk
CEO: Vincent Clerc
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
Founded: 1904
Revenue: US$51.1bn (2023)
In 2022, Maersk signed a General Protocol for Collaboration with the Spanish Government to explore opportunities for large-scale green field production in Spain. The company has also ordered 12 methanol powered container vessels as part of attempts to reduce its annual CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tonnes.
Methanol (CH3OH) can cut emissions by up to 95% and reduces nitrogen oxide emissions up to 80%. This can be produced using green hydrogen and non-fossil carbon, making it a renewable low-carbon liquid fuel.
4. Hydrogen blending in natural gas networks - ENGIE
CEO: Catherine MacGregor
Headquarters: La Défense, France
Founded: 2008
Revenue: US$91.8bn (2023)
ENGIE has been testing hydrogen blending in natural gas networks since 2016 as part of its GRHYD project. Hythane1 is the company’s innovative energy solution, composed of hydrogen and natural gas. The project in the Dunkerque Urban Community, France, aims to supply 200 homes on its completion.
Vincenzo Giodano, Director of Sustainability Solutions at ENGIE Impact, explains: “While hydrogen shows great promise, coordinating solutions across a wide range of challenges will be key to ultimately realising its potential as a scalable, zero-emission energy carrier.”
3. Hydrogen-powered construction equipment - JCB
CEO: Richard Fox-Marrs
Headquarters: Rochester, England
Founded: 1945
Revenue: est US$7.6bn (2023)
Engineers at JCB Power Systems have developed the first hydrogen motor in the heavy machinery industry using established engine technology with readily available components.
The company has created a prototype backhoe loader using this new technology that is capable of everything its diesel-powered equivalent can do. JCB says this technology is “far less complicated” than fuel-cells.
The company has also developed a mobile hydrogen refuelling unit and a hydrogen generator that uses the same hydrogen combustion engine.
Lord Anthony Bamford, Chairman of JCB, says: “I have never been content with the status quo.
“Just because things have been done in a certain way for years is no reason not to do things differently.
“Successful businesses need to be reinventing themselves all of the time; keeping ahead of events, keeping ahead of competitors, but most importantly, keeping customers happy.”
2. Home heating - Centrica
CEO: Chris O’Shea
Headquarters: Windsor, England
Founded: 1997
Revenue: US$34.9bn (2023)
Centrica Business Solutions is providing customers with 100% hydrogen ready Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in partnership with 2G. As the hydrogen network continues to develop, these units can continue to run on traditional fuel sources.
Greg McKenna, Managing Director at Centrica Business Solutions, says: “Our customers are fully focused on net zero.
“The partnership with 2G for Hydrogen-ready CHP engines strengthens the range of technologies we already offer to help them on the path to decarbonisation.”
Frank Grewe, Chief Technical Officer at 2G, says: "With this step, Centrica is responding to the growing need for integrated hydrogen solutions, which are key to decarbonising the energy supply in the UK.
“The fact that Centrica will partner with 2G to provide its customers with highly efficient, hydrogen-ready, combined heat and power solutions, shows once again that 2G is regarded as a technology leader internationally."
1. Green hydrogen production - Siemens Energy
CEO: Christian Bruch
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Founded: 2020
Revenue: US$34.4bn (2023)
Siemens Energy’s Elyzer portfolio aims to generate green hydrogen efficiently from water and renewable energy using Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology.
The company joined forces with Air Liquide to create a joint venture dedicated to the production of industrial-scale renewable hydrogen electrolysers. In 2023 it started production of electrolysis stacks which will supply Siemens Energy and Air Liquide for their customers.
Christian Bruch, CEO at Siemens Energy, explains: "There is no energy transition without green molecules.
“Now we need to agree on a viable business model with a balanced risk and reward profile to turn the smallest molecule into a big success story."
François Jackow, CEO at Air Liquide Group, says: “The mass production of industrial scale electrolyzers is essential to making competitive renewable hydrogen a reality.
“Our joint-venture with Siemens Energy brings the best of our respective expertises together and allows us to offer the most-suited products to the market.
“More than ever, hydrogen is proving to be a key element of the transition to a low-carbon society.”
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