Just as energy from wind power has reduced in price, green hydrogen will come down in price as it becomes more common.īlue hydrogen is produced mainly from natural gas, using a process called steam reforming, which brings together natural gas and heated water in the form of steam. Green hydrogen currently makes up a small percentage of the overall hydrogen, because production is expensive. Electrolysers use an electrochemical reaction to split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting zero-carbon dioxide in the process. Green hydrogen is made by using clean electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water. In the kaleidoscope of hydrogen colours, green hydrogen is the one produced with no harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s our guide to unlocking the current hydrogen colour code. The flame colour for hydrogen would be specifically added. The industry has not yet reached a consensus on this, but it will be the most obvious difference for people who’ve been used to seeing a blue gas flame inside their boilers or when igniting their hobs. We’re currently used to a blue flame from gas, so what colour will a hydrogen flame be? But there is no universal naming convention and these colour definitions may change over time, and even between countries. They’re essentially colour codes, or nicknames, used within the energy industry to differentiate between the types of hydrogen.ĭepending on the type of production used, different colours are assigned to the hydrogen. Green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, brown hydrogen and even yellow hydrogen, turquoise hydrogen and pink hydrogen. Why is a colourless gas given so many colourful terms? So, somewhat confusingly and despite their colourful descriptions, there is no visible difference between the different types of hydrogen.