Global Chemical Gas Companies' Statements About Use of Hydrogen as a Fuel

The annual reports of five global chemical gas companies (Air Liquid; Air Products and Chemicals; Linde; Messer; and Nippon Sanso Holdings) were reviewed to learn what plans and actions the companies have to pursue hydrogen as fuel revenues. 

Here are statements from the company’s annual reports about interests in pursuing hydrogen as a fuel for generating revenues: 

Air Liquide 

- have multiplied annual expenditures on hydrogen technologies by 20

- inaugurated an electrolysis facility in Canada in 2021

- convinced that hydrogen will play a major role in the energy transition

- has a major initiative to produce a low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem in the Normandy industrial basin 

Air Products and Chemicals 

- developing carbon-free hydrogen products that will support global transportation and energy transitions away from fossil fuels

- have hydrogen fueling stations that support commercial markets in California and Japan 

Linde 

- steam methane reformer in Ontario can now supply hydrogen, sufficient to fuel up to 1,000 vehicles a day

- starting up in 2022, the world’s largest PEM electrolyser; will supply industrial customers through company’s existing pipeline network 

Messer 

- by joining the European Clean Energy Alliance in 2020 will be able to contribute Messer’s extensive expertise in the field of industrial gases to promote the efficient and effective use of green hydrogen, with partners throughout Europe 

Nippon Sanso Holdings (Taiyo Nippon Sanso – Japan; Matheson – USA; Nippon Gases – Europe) 

- working on the development and sale of hydrogen fuel stations (fixed and mobile)

- believe can manufacture large quantities of economical blue hydrogen

- researching hydrogen combustion

- focusing on hydrogen to contribute to a carbon-neutral society 

These statements indicate to me that these companies have strategic plans to use their long-term, well-developed technical expertise related to hydrogen use as an industrial gas to apply that experience and expertise to using hydrogen as a fuel. 

Hydrogen use as a fuel to substantially replace fossil fuels will involve many technical and resource challenges.  That these global gas companies, adept at hydrogen-related technical and resource challenges, are now indicating serious strategic goals to also develop hydrogen as fuel business seems important to me.