Hydrogen Economy: Colors and Current Status in Practice

Hydrogen is an energy carrier that plays a strategic role in the transition to low-carbon energy systems and is classified with different colors depending on the production methods. It is determined according to the carbon emission levels in the production process and reveals the environmental impact of hydrogen. The hydrogen economy is an economic model where hydrogen is widely used as an energy carrier, aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and transition to sustainable energy systems. This system is based on production, storage, transportation and use of hydrogen in different sectors such as industry, transportation and energy production. It plays a critical role in reducing carbon emissions and accelerating the clean energy transition. In this context, it is seen that the flexibility provided by the hydrogen economy in energy storage and transportation, reducing dependence on oil and natural gas, creating new business opportunities in the fields of renewable energy, engineering and fuel cells and offering cost advantages in the long term, is increasingly gaining importance on a global scale. In this direction, many countries are carrying out various projects and continuing policy development studies in order to use hydrogen energy more effectively and efficiently in the economy. Serious studies are being conducted in Turkey regarding the production, storage and use of hydrogen, and policy recommendations are being made for the development of the hydrogen economy. In this study, the concepts of hydrogen and hydrogen economy are discussed, hydrogen economy applications around the world are included and the situation in Turkey is analyzed.