On-Site Hydrogen Production
This photovoltaic array at SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, California, is used with an electrolysis unit to create hydrogen for fuel cell-powered buses
Today, there are two ways hydrogen fueling stations can generate hydrogen on-site: through natural gas reforming or water electrolysis.
Nearly all of the hydrogen generated in the United States today is produced through steam reforming of natural gas in large industrial facilities similar to oil refineries. However, steam reforming can also be performed on a smaller scale on hydrogen fueling station sites. In the steam-reforming process, natural gas reacts with steam at high temperatures over a catalyst. The hydrogen atoms are stripped from the water and hydrocarbon molecules to produce hydrogen gas. An alternative process, autothermal reforming, can also be applied at the station site.
Electrolysis, in contrast, generates oxygen and hydrogen from water using an electric current. Electrolysis is a more expensive way to produce hydrogen, but it generates no on-site emissions and may be an attractive option for hydrogen production in locations that have low-cost off-peak power that can be used for generation. In addition, the hydrogen electrolysis process can be powered by renewable fuels such as wind and solar power to create emissions-free, renewable hydrogen.
Learn more about codes and standards related to onsite hydrogen production systems.