Abstract
Interest in hydrogen as a possible energy vector is powered by the depletion of fossil fuel feedstocks as well as concerns over global warming, which brings new environmental legislations on the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. At this point, the future perspective of a hydrogen economy has triggered many researchers to develop and optimize a series of new technologies which differ from conventional industrial processes (like SMR, ATR, POX, and H2O-electrolysis) in their orientation toward the minimization of emission of greenhouse gases (on-site CO2 capture), utilization of renewable feedstock (bio-alcohols, bio-gases, wood, and algae), or renewable energy sources (wind, sunlight, or tides). This chapter gathers information on the most relevant technologies for hydrogen production, including discussions on existing conventional reformingprocesses, as well as developments in advanced and more environmentally benign methods, like chemical-looping.