There have been a bunch of published pieces in recent months about something called “blue gas,” claiming that it’s the death of Teslas and EVs. So, what the heck is it, and how realistic are the claims?
Technically, blue gas is gasoline or diesel that is a hydrocarbon fuel manufactured from hydrogen and carbon feedstocks instead of being refined from petroleum.
This sounds interesting, but there are several questions you have to ask. The first is where the hydrogen and carbon comes from. The second is where the energy to extract and combine them comes from, and what else it could be used for. The third is what the CO2 emissions of the processes are. The fourth is what the costs of the end product are, and what the comparable costs of existing alternatives are.
I’ve read the studies, done the chemical processing assessments, done the cost assessments, and done the CO2 emissions assessments. I’ve asked and answered these questions. Allow me to provide a roadmap to the answers.
Hydrogen comes in several colors. Black hydrogen comes from coal gasification and has 20× the mass of CO2 as of produced hydrogen. Gray hydrogen comes from steam reformation of natural gas and has 8–10× the mass of CO2 as produced hydrogen. “Blue” hydrogen comes from gray or black hydrogen, where the excess CO2 in theory is captured and sequestered or used, and is being heavily promoted by the fossil fuel industry.
Green hydrogen is the only one worth considering as a viable hydrogen source, and it comes from using renewably generated electricity when it’s cheap to run water through proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis units to separate the oxygen and hydrogen.
The carbon comes from captured CO2 from industrial emissions or air-captured CO2 or manufactured CO2. The first is relatively efficient, and we will always have some industrial processes we can’t replace with low-carbon processes. The second is a complete and utter waste of time and energy, as exemplified by Carbon Engineering. The third is a shell game because the CO2 is manufactured by burning fossil fuels.
Note that both hydrogen and CO2 extraction require energy and have CO2 debts of their own. Then the processes for making a hydrocarbon fuel out of them have energy and CO2 debts. Then distributing them to cars have CO2 debts. And when you burn the fuel, you still get a bunch of CO2 from burning it, not a net reduction of CO2, and you get a bunch of air pollution in the form of nitrous oxides and unburnt hydrocarbons.
When I’ve done the math, the least offensive form of blue gas, with renewably electrolyzed hydrogen and captured CO2, is indeed lower CO2 end-to-end than petroleum-derived gas, but much higher for the same miles driven as just using the renewable electricity directly in battery electric vehicles.
Chart by author
Yes, just using renewably generated electricity — BC’s is 93% hydro, and at 12.9 grams CO2e per kWh, it’s not the lowest in Canada — is vastly cheaper and lower CO2 per mile, and doesn’t cause air pollution.
The same calculations and problems show why hydrogen vehicles are also terrible bets.
Now, there are existing commodity markets for hydrogen and carbon. The hydrogen market is about $120 billion globally every year. It’s used to make ammonia, in electronics manufacturing, and the like. That market is currently 99% served by black and gray hydrogen, and 85% of the hydrogen is manufactured onsite with no carbon capture, because transporting hydrogen is really expensive.
The CO2 commodity market is about 230 million tons a year, and is worth perhaps a $10 billion annually. It’s tiny. CO2 is used to make fertilizer, the biggest chunk, and then 70 million tons or so are used for enhanced oil recovery, which gets more oil out of tapped out oil wells, which produces more CO2.
You’re starting to see why the fossil fuel industry is pushing blue gas now, as well as blue hydrogen. They want to find new markets for their coal and gas. They want to keep supplying the existing markets for CO2 and hydrogen. They want to create transportation markets.
But it’s a shell game. It’s vastly inefficient. It’s very costly. And it doesn’t save that much CO2.
Blue gas is an expensive shell game being promoted by the fossil fuel industry with help from automotive industry executives who are stuck in the sunk costs fallacy about their investments in internal combustion engines.
Blue gas isn’t a threat to Tesla. It’s a delaying PR tactic by the fossil fuel industry and portion of the automotive industry.
Don’t get sucked in.
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FAQs
Blue Gas Marine, Inc. is the leading green-energy corporation dedicated to make Natural Gas available for boats, as a clean and affordable fuel.
What is this blue gas? ›
What is blue hydrogen? Blue hydrogen is an industry term for hydrogen produced from natural gas and supported by carbon capture and storage. The CO2 generated during the manufacturing process is captured and stored permanently underground. The result is low-carbon hydrogen that produces no CO2.
What is blue gas made out of? ›
Blue 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. The output is hydrogen, but carbon dioxide is also produced as a by-product.
Can blue gas be used in cars? ›
As long as your car was built in 2002 or newer, you can safely use these lighter ethanol blends in your car. You might find them with a blue-colored fuel nozzles. They can help you save money and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
What is the stock name for blue gas? ›
Blue Energy Limited (BUENF)
What blue gas company did Amazon invest in? ›
With a unique electrolyzer portfolio and a team of 400 specialists, Sunfire today is one of the few companies capable of providing hydrogen-producing systems on an industrial scale. With Amazon's help, we want to further scale up our production capacity.”
What are the disadvantages of blue hydrogen? ›
The primary drawback is that the production of blue hydrogen is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. The process of SMR produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change and other environmental problems.
How to invest in blue gas? ›
How to buy shares in Blue Energy
- Compare share trading platforms. To buy shares listed in Australia, you'll need to sign up to a broker with access to the ASX. ...
- Open and fund your brokerage account. ...
- Search for Blue Energy. ...
- Purchase now or later. ...
- Decide on how many to buy. ...
- Check on your investment.
LPG – propane – and natural gas (methane gas) both burn with a blue flame color.
Can you mix blue gas with regular gas? ›
Yes, drivers can mix the two types of fuel. The combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle — something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
Blue hydrogen is often touted as a low-carbon fuel for generating electricity and storing energy, powering cars, trucks and trains and heating buildings.
Does blue gas pollute the air? ›
Blue hydrogen produces no carbon emissions when burned or converted into electricity, but the main component in producing blue hydrogen is methane, the most potent greenhouse gas. It isn't currently possible to produce clean blue hydrogen on a commercial scale, and it is important to acknowledge the risks of trying.
How long does blue gas last? ›
Expect non-ethanol gas to last at least 6 months if it's properly stored.
How much does a gallon of hydrogen fuel cost? ›
Hydrogen fuel is much more efficient than gasoline, but it's also four times more expensive, roughly equivalent to about $16 a gallon.
Is hydrogen fuel cheaper than gasoline? ›
Fueling Costs
While the current price of hydrogen is higher than gasoline, fuel cells are approximately 2.5 times more efficient than gasoline engines. An added bonus is that most fuel cell car manufacturers include three years' worth of free fuel with a vehicle.
Is blue gas the same as hydrogen? ›
Hydrogen produced in this way is more environmentally friendly and is called “blue” hydrogen. As its name suggests, the cleanest type of hydrogen is “green” hydrogen. It is produced by splitting water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen via a process of electrolysis powered by renewable energy.
Is blue gas and water gas same? ›
Water-gas: a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen produced by passing steam over red-hot cake. The process is an endothermic reaction. The water-gas has lower calorific values than coal gas. This gas is also known as blue gas.
Which gas stock is best? ›
Best Oil & Gas Stocks
- Oil & Natural Gas Corporation.
- Hindustan Oil Exploration Company.
- Deep Energy Resources.
- Reliance Industries.
- Jindal Drilling & Industries.
- Petronet LNG.
- Selan Exploration Technology.
- Asian Energy Services.
Amazon strikes green hydrogen deal with fuel cell maker Plug Power, sending shares up. Plug Power's stock surged after Amazon struck a deal with the fuel cell maker to power some of its operations with green hydrogen. As part of the deal, Amazon received the right to buy up to 16 million shares of Plug Power.
Who owns most of Amazon stock? ›
The company offers consumers a variety of products and services, including retail goods, food, computing services, music and video streaming, security, and marketing services, among others. Its largest individual shareholders are company insiders: Jeff Bezos, Andrew Jassy, and Douglas Herrington.
UK-based hydrogen energy startup ZeroAvia has received millions of dollars in new funding from a range of large companies, including ventures founded by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.
Is blue hydrogen worse than gas for the climate? ›
The carbon footprint to create blue hydrogen is more than 20% greater than using either natural gas or coal directly for heat, or about 60% greater than using diesel oil for heat, according to new research published in Energy Science & Engineering.
What are the harms of hydrogen gas? ›
Hydrogen used in the fuel cells is a very flammable gas and can cause fires and explosions if it is not handled properly. Hydrogen fires are invisible and if a worker believes that there is a hydrogen leak, it should always be presumed that a flame is present.
Which country is the largest producer of hydrogen? ›
China. China is the leader of the global hydrogen market with an output of 20 million tons, accounting for ⅓ of global production. Sinopec aims to generate 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen by 2025.
What is the largest LNG company in the US? ›
Cheniere Energy is currently the largest LNG producer in the United States. The company operates two LNG facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi. As of 2022, Cheniere Energy is the second-largest LNG operator by storage capacity.
Is blue a good stock to buy? ›
Out of 7 analysts, 2 (28.57%) are recommending BLUE as a Strong Buy, 1 (14.29%) are recommending BLUE as a Buy, 3 (42.86%) are recommending BLUE as a Hold, 0 (0%) are recommending BLUE as a Sell, and 1 (14.29%) are recommending BLUE as a Strong Sell.
What are the blue gas bottles? ›
Butane is stored in blue cylinders and is ideal for camping, single burner cooking appliances and indoor portable heaters. Propane on the other hand is stored in red cylinders and predominantly a commercial heating and large appliance fuel, also ideal for heating and cooking in catering vans.
How do you make blue gas? ›
Blue hydrogen is hydrogen produced from natural gas with a process of steam methane reforming, where natural gas is mixed with very hot steam and a catalyst. A chemical reaction occurs creating hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Is propane gas blue? ›
LPG – propane – and natural gas (methane gas) flame colour are both blue. A blue gas stove flame colour and temperature means complete combustion, indicating you aren't wasting gas and money.
What is supreme gas? ›
Regular gas has the lowest octane rating, Premium has a higher octane and Super (or Supreme or Premium Plus) has the highest octane. Octane is the measure of the fuel's ability to resist “knock”.
- Hydrogen. Hydrogen is a potentially emissions-free alternative fuel that can be produced from domestic resources for use in fuel cell vehicles.
- Natural Gas. Natural gas is a domestically abundant fuel that can have significant cost advantages over gasoline and diesel fuels.
- Propane.
Blue gas is an artificially prepared illuminating gas with characteristics similar to propane. In technical terms, you can call blue gasoline or diesel. For the last few years, the blue gas and Tesla killer stocks have been uplifted and are a center of attention for top investors and entrepreneurs.
Who are the blue hydrogen manufacturers? ›
The major players in the blue hydrogen market are Shell Plc (US), Linde plc (Ireland), ExxonMobil Corporation (US), Air Liquide (France), and Air Products Inc.
Which is the most harmful gas in air? ›
Nitrogen Dioxide
NO2 is the most harmful of these compounds and is generated from the combustion of fuel engines and industry. It can damage the human heart and lungs and it reduces atmospheric visibility at high concentrations.
Which gas is the most pollutant of air? ›
Most Common Air Pollutants
- Carbon Monoxide.
- Nitrogen Dioxide (EPA)
- Ozone (EPA)
- Particulate Matter.
- Lead (EPA)
- Sulfur Dioxide.
- Six Common Pollutants (EPA)
These gases mainly include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Oxygen, on the other hand, does not cause air pollution and is important for our survival.
Will a car run on 10 year old gas? ›
Degradation occurs from the get-go but most gas stays fresh for a month or two without issue. However, gas that is more than two month old is generally OK to use with only minor decreases in performance. Gas that is older than a year can cause issues, like engine knocking, sputtering and clogged injectors.
Is 2 year old gasoline still good? ›
Gasoline can last between three months and three years depending on the type of gas and if it is properly stored. It's important to note while all gas will naturally begin to degrade over time thanks to exposure to oxygen (also known as oxidation), all gas is not created equal.
Can you use gas after 10 years? ›
The Shelf Life of Fuel
Regular gasoline has a shelf life of three to six months, while diesel can last up to a year before it begins to degrade.
Will hydrogen cars overtake electric? ›
Future of Hydrogen Vehicles
A recent study published in January 2022 by Nature Electronics suggests that fuel cell electric vehicle technology will not play a major role in sustainable road transport in the future.
Fueling. Fuel cell cars can carry enough hydrogen fuel for 300-400 miles of range and their tanks can be refilled as quickly as that of a standard car's gas tank. Current lease deals often include up to three years of complimentary fuel.
How many miles per gallon does a hydrogen car get? ›
The 2022 Toyota Mirai is a power to behold. Unlike traditional engines, it utilizes hydrogen to push itself down the road. The result is a powerful vehicle that can sustain itself for extensive lengths. According to motortrend.com, the 2022 Toyota Mirai gets an estimated 76 MPG in the city and 71 MPG on the highway.
How long does it take to fill a hydrogen car? ›
Hydrogen-powered vehicles don't need charging like an electric vehicle. You refuel them with hydrogen gas, pumped in the same safe and convenient way you would a conventional petrol or diesel car. Filling up takes the same amount of time too, between 3-5 minutes for a full tank.
How much does it cost to fill a hydrogen fuel cell car? ›
Hydrogen is dispensed by the kilogram, and it takes 5.5 kg to fill the 2021 Mirai's tank. The stations we visited charged anywhere from $13.14 to $18.69 per kg, but those prices never seemed to change, not even when gasoline prices skyrocketed in 2022. Filling up from a quarter tank generally cost between $45 and $50.
What are the best hydrogen stocks to buy? ›
Top hydrogen stocks to buy in 2023
| Hydrogen Stock | Ticker Symbol | Market Cap |
|---|
| BP | (NYSE:BP) | $103.6 billion |
| Plug Power | (NASDAQ:PLUG) | $5.1 billion |
| Bloom Energy | (NYSE:BE) | $2.9 billion |
| Linde | (NYSE:LIN) | $178.8 billion |
1 more rowBP. BP is a multinational oil and gas company that produces and distributes natural gas. It is not only at the top of the natural gas company list but also one of the biggest companies in the world.
Which gas company is best to invest in? ›
7 Best Natural Gas Stocks and Funds to Buy in 2023
| Natural gas stock | Dividend yield | YTD return as of June 6 |
|---|
| Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG) | 1.1% | -4.9% |
| Plains All American Pipeline LP (PAA) | 7.9% | 20.7% |
| Enbridge Inc. (ENB) | 7.0% | -0.4% |
| Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) | 6.7% | -3.8% |
1 more rowThe current levelized cost of blue hydrogen production typically lies in the range of USD 2.8-3.5 per kg based on a gas prices ranging from USD 6-11 per MMBtu.
Who is the biggest hydrogen fuel cell company? ›
1. Ballard Power Systems (TSX:BLDP) Ballard Power Systems is a global leader in hydrogen fuel cell technology and is working to accelerate the adoption of this technology.
Who is the leader in hydrogen fuel technology? ›
Companies that are leading the hydrogen and fuel cell space include DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (NYSE:DD), Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD), Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE), and Plug Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG).
A large amount of hydrogen is required to generate just a small amount of energy. As a result, cars would need huge tanks with hydrogen or they'd have a very short range between fuel stops. That makes it a necessity to build an extensive network of hydrogen fuel stations.
Which hydrogen stock is Amazon buying? ›
Amazon To Buy Plug Power's 'Green' Hydrogen In Deal With $2.1 Billion Stock Option.
Is hydrogen fuel the future? ›
A fuel of tomorrow and today
But given its many practical uses, there is little doubt that hydrogen will continue to support new technologies and be a vital component in getting the world to net zero emissions.
Is Amazon buying hydrogen? ›
Amazon has signed an agreement with Plug Power to supply 10,950 tons per year of green hydrogen for its transportation and building operations starting in 2025.
