Résumé
How green are the hydrogen production processes? Molecular hydrogen is recognised as being one of the most promising fuels alternate to fossil fuels. Unfortunately it only exists combined with other elements like e.g. oxygen in the case of water and therefore has to be produced. Today various methods for producing molecular hydrogen are being investigated. Besides its energy potential, molecular hydrogen is regarded as being a green energy carrier because it can be produced from renewable sources and its combustion/oxidation generates water. However as it has to be produced its greenness merits a deeper discussion especially stressing on its production routes. The goal of the present article is to discuss the relative greenness of the various hydrogen production processes on the basis of the twelve principles of green chemistry. It is mainly showed that the combination "renewable raw materials, biological or electrochemical methods, and renewable energies (e.g. solar or wind)" undeniably makes the hydrogen production green.