Hydrogen and helium can help innovations in mobility, power generation, and semiconductor manufacturing
Hydrogen and helium, being the two lightest gases and composed of the smallest molecules, play a significant role in future technological innovations, in particular in areas like mobility, power generation, and semiconductor manufacturing
Powered by hydrogen
Hydrogen is an energy carrier capable of replacing fossil fuels as fuel cells can convert hydrogen gas into electricity by reacting with oxygen.
Solid oxide fuel cells have a long operating lifetime and fuel flexibility, making them ideal for the continuous power generation needed for sustainable data centres.
AI is continuing to grow, and some data centres have already chosen to adopt solid oxide fuel cells that run on natural gas, planning to transition to low-carbon hydrogen as soon as economics and infrastructure make it commercially feasible.
The reactions between stored hydrogen and oxygen in the air can also power fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs).
Industrial decarbonisation with hydrogen
For iron and steel, natural gas direct reduced iron (DRI) production using shaft furnaces is already developed, but hydrogen-based DRI is the next step for greener steel production.
Midrex and Energiron shaft furnaces have already demonstrated the use of hydrogen or hydrogen-rich gases, as seen in results from projects like HYBRIT by SSAB in Sweden and HBIS Group in China.
Hydrogen-based green steel production's success depends heavily on the availability of green and blue hydrogen and supporting infrastructure, according to a report from IDTechEx's Green Steel 2025-2035: Technologies, Players, Markets, Forecasts. 46 million tonnes of steel are forecasted to be produced enabled by hydrogen in 2035.
Hydrogen isotopes for nuclear fusion
Deuterium and tritium are essential fuels for nuclear fusion technologies, with the hope that they can provide energy-dense, continuous sources of green energy without the risk of a meltdown.
According to Fusion Energy Market 2025-2045: Technologies, Players, Timelines, an IDTechEx report, commercial fusion companies have raised more than $9 billion to date, and an increasing number of governments view fusion as the modern equivalent of the 'space race'.
Helium for semiconductor manufacturing
Helium is already used in manufacturing processes thanks to its cooling and inert properties, and has become vital for thermal management during semiconductor production.
Helium is a finite resource, but our reliance on it continues to grow as semiconductor manufacturing advances towards smaller nodes, making technologies for helium production and helium substitutes essential.
Hydrogen and helium production
Materials for green hydrogen are required for components, including catalysts, electrodes, porous transport layers, gas diffusion layers, bipolar plates, and gaskets.
Innovations include new catalysts with reduced iridium content, helping minimise costs. For gas separation membranes, developing a new palladium-alloy metallic membrane could lead to ultra-pure H2 separation.
