“GREEN HYDROGEN AS A KEY ELEMENT FOR THE ENERGY

TRANSITION IN COLOMBIA”
Victor Mateo Benavides Vallejos

“Change brings innovation, and innovation leads to progress.”

• Li Keqiang -

INTRODUCTION

The national interconnected electricity system is the most extensive and complex machine in
the country, all the elements that compose it must work synchronously and in real time, since
the energy demanded at each moment of the day must be equal to the energy produced in the
generation plants, which adds a critical component within the supply chain - we have become
accustomed to flip the switch and see the light flash with the same intensity as the previous
day -, that is why the reliability and quality of supply are two pillars within the supply
process.

Based on the above and considering the energy transition that the country and the world are
going through towards an electric system free of greenhouse effect emissions together with
the decarbonization of productive processes added to the electrification of the transportation
sector, challenges are created that as a country we must face, since technologies such as solar
energy, wind energy, small hydroelectric power plants, among others. These are not enough
to guarantee the reliable supply that the country requires.

It is in this context where green hydrogen plays a fundamental role as it is presented as the
cornerstone to help solve the challenges ahead, hence the need to prepare professionals in
different areas that contribute to massify the use of this technology in our country.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Hydrogen (H) is the most abundant element in the universe, it is also the lightest gas, being
extremely volatile with a density close to 0.0899 (kgr )/( m^3 ) (seven times lighter than
water vapor). The main advantages of this element lie in its energy density, with a small
amount of hydrogen good amounts of energy can be obtained, and it is not a greenhouse gas
and is not toxic for living beings (Group, 2022).

However, its atomic composition and the characteristics of our planet mean that this atom is
not found in its pure state, since it combines very easily with other elements, for example,
with oxygen to form water, with nitrogen to form ammonia or carbon to form organic matter.
For this reason, to obtain this element it will almost always be necessary to separate it from
some other molecule.
 There are different types of hydrogen classified according to the energy source and the
process used to obtain the hydrogen, the following figure shows the main types of hydrogen
(Vigoya, 2022).

Illustration 1) Classification of hydrogen with respect to energy source and production process.

For now, we have to deal with green hydrogen because it is the easiest to adapt in the country
due to the natural and technological resources available and because the emission of
greenhouse gases are close to zero under the electrolysis process (Orlando Castiblanco,
2020). .

The process to obtain green hydrogen is based on decomposing the water molecule H2O
through a process called electrolysis, this procedure consists of applying electricity to
conductive electrodes separated by a membrane, this causes an electric current in the water
that makes it decompose into its components: hydrogen and oxygen.

Illustration 2) Elements of an electrolyzer

Once the hydrogen molecule has been separated, it must be stored in gas form in cylinders at
high pressure (350 - 700 bar) or in liquid form at very low temperatures, it is also possible to
store this particle through organic carriers (LOHC) such as ammonia up to the places of
consumption. Once the product has reached its destination, fuel cells are used to reverse the
process and use the resulting energy in the required process (NICOLAS BEDOYA
OLARTE, 2021).

In a hydrogen fuel cell, the inverse process to that of the electrolyzer is carried out, the
hydrogen molecule is recombined with the oxygen molecule coming from the environment,
this process causes a potential difference (voltage) that is used to operate the electrical
equipment connected to it through a closed electrical circuit. The resulting by-product of this
electrochemical process is water H2O and energy.

Once we have reviewed the fundamental aspects of green hydrogen, we will explain how
green hydrogen contributes to solve challenges towards the carbon-free energy transition that
the world and the country need.

To do this, let's imagine a city or town whose energy matrix depends on renewable energy
sources such as solar or wind. At certain times, during a sunny and/or windy day, it is possible
to generate more energy than is consumed at any given moment, remember that the energy
generated must be equal to the energy consumed at all times, this implies that, without a
large-scale storage system, such energy would be wasted because there would be nothing to
consume it.

Now, let's consider the opposite case, let's imagine a night on a day without wind. Renewable
energy sources may not be able to supply the required demand, so there may be failures in
the supply, which confirms the need for a large-scale energy storage system to maintain the
reliability of the system against the different scenarios that may arise. Initially one could
think of storage systems with conventional batteries, but these have several drawbacks such
as; the cost of implementation and maintenance in the medium and long term, with a
replacement rate every 7000 cycles (charge and discharge of batteries) and the raw materials
with which they are manufactured such as lithium, mercury, cadmium, among others, whose
production and transformation involve polluting processes, in other words, we replace one
problem for another. This is why hydrogen is so suitable for these applications.

The electrification of the transportation sector is a reality, the European Union has defined
the year 2035 when no more combustion vehicles will be sold, and it is a measure that will
gradually be adopted by other governments, especially in Asia, North America and Latin
America (MOTOR, 2022).

If we consider the electrification of transportation, we must evaluate 2 types of vehicles, the

first are light pickups, utility vehicles and last mile vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters
based on conventional batteries, which in terms of cost-benefit ratio have the advantage over
those powered by hydrogen. However, when evaluating heavy vehicles such as tractors,
trucks, ships, airplanes, among others, where the load capacity, weight and amount of energy
to be stored are much higher than in small vehicles, the investment in a hydrogen-based
propulsion system exceeds the benefits offered by conventional batteries in terms of
performance and weight, remembering that compressed gas is much lighter than the
conventional battery. It is important to highlight that the heavy-duty sector accounts for 16%
of greenhouse gas emissions (GATES, 2021), hence the importance of delving deeper into
this technology. Finally, it is important to remember that a hydrogen-fueled vehicle is still a
100% electric vehicle because it operates on the principle of electrolysis.

More and more fossil fuel processes are being electrified, which will cause an exponential
increase in the demand for electricity in the coming years. A specific case represents the war
between Ukraine and Russia, which has a large part of Europe on the border of gas shortage,
an element used for countless applications from heating, transportation and food cooking,
which is why many countries have sought alternatives to stop dependence on foreign
governments, being the most viable option on the table the green energies where hydrogen
plays a key role (Fisher, 2022).

Likewise, it is important to mention that green hydrogen can be used for the manufacture of
steel, cement, fertilizers and fertilizers, so the hydrogen industry has a huge potential for use
and Colombia is emerging as a world power in this regard by the renewable and water
resources available to it.

JUSTIFICATION

In Colombia, the main sources of generation are from reservoirs (hydroelectric plants) whose
construction implies critical effects on the surrounding ecosystem, as in the case of Hidro-
Ituango, and plants that cause gas emissions, such as coal and gas thermoelectric plants. The
following illustration shows the installed power capacity according to the renewable or non-
renewable resource used (Eléctrica, 2023).

Illustration 3) Installed capacity in Colombia

Although the country's energy matrix is the sixth cleanest in the world, the fact of depending
on the hydraulic resource makes the country susceptible to suffer a power outage in times of
extreme summer as happened in 1995 during the event known as the Gaviria hour. In
addition to this, and according to the UPME (Mining and Energy Planning Unit), energy
demand is expected to increase between 2.55% and 3% between 2022 to 2036 (UPME, 2023).
This implies a joint effort of all sectors (industry, investors, government, service providers,
market analysts, network operators) to incorporate new generation sources that contribute to
diversify the country's energy matrix, ideally with renewable and environmentally friendly
sources, which as already mentioned require solutions based on hydrogen to achieve a
reliable energy supply.

From the public point of view, the government has taken giant steps to strengthen and
accelerate the energy transition, laws such as 1715 of 2014, 2036 of 2020, 2099 of 2021,
CREG Resolution 030, DECREE 091, 1564, among others, encourage the use of renewable
energies, electric mobility and promote investment in energy efficiency projects and green
economy (Energía, 2021). Likewise, roadmaps and roadmaps have been proposed, including
the hydrogen roadmap, seeking to create new incentives, goals and indicators to meet the
commitments made at COP 21, where Colombia committed to reduce 20% of its greenhouse
gas emissions by 2030.

This scenario is expected to generate innovation, an efficient use of resources and the
development of new technologies such as green hydrogen, which will promote
competitiveness and economic growth in the country. In addition, if this is achieved, the
country could aim for a 10% reduction by that date (Gutiérrez, 2015). It should be noted that
Colombia has the potential to become the 4th world power in hydrogen production, likewise,
the government expects that in the future, by 2030, investments in hydrogen will reach
US$5,000 million per year (ARGOTE, 2022).

This scenario opens up new business models for entrepreneurs and companies in the sector,
as they have a whole emerging market in their favor. This reaffirms the need to train
technically and economically trained professionals, who create value proposals to break the
paradigms and be precursors of these technologies through research and development to
achieve greater competitiveness in hydrogen production, identify national and international
financing mechanisms for projects that promote the decarbonization of the country, work
together with state entities to promote the development of a regulatory framework that allows
the production and use of hydrogen in Colombia.

The result of this research will be useful for the progress of economic policy and energy
regulation aimed at accelerating the energy transition and economic growth in Colombia, in
addition to the opening of new lines of research, and ventures for the development of the
hydrogen market.
 PROPOSAL

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

- To develop an economic model that allows to massify the use of green hydrogen in
Colombia through small and medium enterprises.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

- Critical analysis of the different technologies for green hydrogen production.

- Elaborate a value proposition and calculate the levelized cost of hydrogen production
under predefined scenarios.

- Compare the cost and maintenance of a hydrogen plant versus substitute fuels such
as diesel and gasoline in a given period of time.

- Determine marketing mechanisms in the department of Nariño.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Eléctrica, A. C. (02 de 2023). ALCOGEN. Obtenido de https://acolgen.org.co/

Energía, M. d. (2021). Transición energética: un legado para el presente y el futuro de Colombia. Bogota DC:
Republica de Colombia.

Fisher, J. (20 de MAYO de 2022). BBC NEWS MUNDO. Obtenido de https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-

internacional-61514155

GATES, B. (2021). COMO EVITAR UN DESASTRE CLIMATICO. BARCELONA: PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE.

Group, E. P. (2022). Green Hydrogen Factbook.

MOTOR, R. (04 de 11 de 2022). MOTOR. Obtenido de https://www.motor.com.co/industria/Definitivo-

Europa-prohibe-los-autos-de-combustion-a-partir-de-2035-20221104-0012.html

NICOLAS BEDOYA OLARTE, J. C. (2021). EVALUACIÓN DE LA PRODUCCIÓN DE HIDRÓGENO A PARTIR DE

ELECTRÓLISIS DE AGUA DE MAR UTILIZANDO ENERGÍA RENOVABLE COMO FUENTE DE ENERGÍA ELÉCTRICA.
FUNDACIÓN UNIVERSIDAD DE AMÉRICA.

Orlando Castiblanco, D. J. (2020). Hydrogen Production and its Perspective in Colombia: A Review. 12.

UPME. (02 de 14 de 2023). UNIDAD DE PLANEACION MINERO ENERGETICA. Obtenido de

https://www1.upme.gov.co/DemandayEficiencia

Vigoya, P. A. (2022). Análisis del costo de producción del hidrógeno verde en la zona del caribe colombiano.
Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia.