Why Hydrogen Cannot Be Used as a Practical Fuel: A Thermodynamic

Explanation

(CEWT – Carbon Recycling Technology Insight Series)

1. Introduction

Hydrogen is frequently promoted as a “clean fuel,” yet the laws of thermodynamics show that

hydrogen can never function as a practical primary fuel source. Hydrogen is not an energy

source at all — it is only an energy carrier, and a very inefficient one.

CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology (CRT) is built firmly on thermodynamic reality.

This article explains, with scientific clarity, why hydrogen cannot be used as a fuel and why

renewable methane (RNG) from CRT is the correct pathway for energy storage and baseload

power.

2. Thermodynamic Foundations

2.1 Water Splitting: An Endothermic Reaction

Electrolysis breaks water into hydrogen and oxygen:

H2O (l) => H2 (g) + 1/2O2 (g)

This reaction requires external energy because of water’s stable molecular structure.

• ΔH (liquid water) = +285.83 kJ/mol

• ΔH (water vapour) = +241.83 kJ/mol

This is strongly endothermic.

It consumes energy — you must put energy in to obtain hydrogen

2.2 Hydrogen Combustion or Fuel-Cell Reaction: Exothermic

When hydrogen is used (in a turbine or fuel cell), it recombines with oxygen:

H2 (g) + 1/2}O2 (g) +> H2O

This releases heat:

• ΔH = –285.83 kJ/mol (forming liquid water)

• ΔH = –241.83 kJ/mol (forming vapour)

This is exothermic.

However — and this is the critical point — the amount of energy released is always exactly

equal to the amount of energy originally used to split the water, if ideal and reversible.

Thus:

Hydrogen offers no net energy gain. It only returns what was already invested.

And this is the best-case scenario. In practice, the losses are severe.

3. Real-World Thermodynamics: Where Hydrogen Fails

Even if electrolysis and fuel cells were 100% efficient (they are not), hydrogen would still not

be a fuel — it is simply a temporary storage medium.

But in real systems:

Electrolyser efficiencies:

65–75%

Fuel cell efficiencies:

40–60%

Compression/liquefaction losses:

10–35%

Transport & storage losses:

5–10%

Putting this together:

Overall efficiency = approx 20–25%

This means 75–80% of renewable electricity is permanently lost when routed through

hydrogen.

This is thermodynamically unavoidable.

4. Why Hydrogen Cannot Be a Fuel — Thermodynamic

Interpretation

4.1 Fuel Definition (Thermodynamic)

A true fuel must provide net positive available work (Gibbs free energy).

But for hydrogen:

G electrolysis = -G fuelcell

• Electrolysis demands free energy

• Fuel cells return the same free energy

• Net → zero, minus losses

Thus hydrogen does not satisfy the definition of a fuel.

4.2 Exergy Losses

Hydrogen suffers extremely high exergy destruction because:

• Storage (especially compression) increases entropy

• Leakage increases entropy

• Transport and boil-off add irreversible losses

• Fuel cells produce water vapour → latent heat losses

Thermodynamically:

s (total )> 0

Irreversibility is large → system cannot approach ideal efficiency.

Thus, hydrogen becomes a severely degraded energy carrier.

4.3 Chemical Potential Argument

The chemical potential of hydrogen as a fuel is fundamentally tied to the stability of water:

• Water is one of the lowest free-energy states in nature

• Hydrogen is one of the highest

Therefore:

Hydrogen cannot be a “fuel” while water is the thermodynamic sink.

Hydrogen must always be forced uphill using external energy.

5. CRT’s Solution: Using Hydrogen Properly

Hydrogen is valuable — but not as a fuel.

Its correct use is:

Renewable H2 + Captured CO2 => Renewable Methane (Renewable Synthetic Methane Gas)

Methane (CH4) has:

• Higher chemical exergy

• Lower storage entropy

• 3–6× better volumetric energy density

• Stable molecular structure

• 100-year established infrastructure

• Perfect compatibility with gas turbines

• Much lower lifecycle energy losses

In short:

Hydrogen should never be burned.

It should be converted into renewable methane.

This is what CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology achieves.

6. Conclusion

Hydrogen cannot be used as a practical fuel because thermodynamics forbids it:

• Electrolysis is endothermic

• Fuel cells are exothermic but return less than what was invested

• Inefficiencies are irreversible

• Net energy chain loses 75–80%

• Hydrogen provides no net usable energy

• It fails the thermodynamic definition of a fuel

Renewable methane (RNG) created from renewable hydrogen + captured CO2 in CEWT’s

Carbon Recycling Technology solves this fundamental limitation.

It delivers a true fuel, with high exergy, stable storage, and zero net emissions.

 Clean Energy & Water Technologies (CEWT) – White Paper RSMG as a Renewable Fuel CEWT Policy White Paper (2025)

 Executive Summary: 

Australia is entering a decisive decade where electrification alone cannot deliver deep industrial decarbonisation. Heavy industry, steelmaking, mining, and baseload power generation require renewable, storable, dispatchable fuels that work within existing thermal systems. Renewable Synthetic Methane Gas (RSMG)—produced from captured CO₂ and renewable hydrogen through CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology (CRT)—provides Australia with a new class of zero‑fossil‑input, closed‑loop, perpetual renewable fuel. This white paper outlines the scientific, policy, and regulatory basis for recognising RSMG as an eligible renewable fuel under the Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO) scheme. 

1. Introduction: 

The Need for Renewable Fuels Beyond Electricity Electrification cannot support: • 24/7 industrial power   • Firming and grid stability   • High‑temperature industrial heat   • Non‑electrifiable processes   • Large‑scale energy storage   RSMG fills these gaps using existing gas infrastructure and renewable hydrogen inputs. © 2025 Clean Energy & Water Technologies Pty Ltd – CEWT Blue Edition (RSMG Version) Clean Energy & Water Technologies (CEWT) – White Paper 2. What is RSMG Under CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology? RSMG under CRT is produced from captured CO₂ and renewable hydrogen.   This forms a perpetual carbon loop:   Combustion → CO₂ → Capture → Methanation → RSMG → Combustion. Hydrogen provides the energy. Carbon atoms recycle indefinitely. 

3. Why RSMG Must Be Recognised as a Renewable Fuel • Zero fossil inputs   • Aligned with global synthetic methane definitions   • Compatible with turbines, pipelines, LNG, and industrial furnaces   • Provides dispatchable renewable energy   • Enables deep decarbonisation across steel, alumina, cement, and mining 

  4. CEWT CRT and the GO Framework PGO is the correct certification pathway because RSMG is a renewable manufactured product with clear system boundaries. CRT provides a complete, verifiable methodology for renewable methane certification. 

5. 

Alignment with Australia’s Net Zero Plan (2025) RSMG advances all national priorities: 1. Clean electricity across the economy, 2. Electrification and efficiency   © 2025 Clean Energy & Water Technologies Pty Ltd – CEWT Blue Edition (RSMG Version) Clean Energy & Water Technologies (CEWT) – White Paper 3. Expansion of clean fuels   4. Acceleration of new technologies   5. Large‑scale carbon removals  

 6. Strategic Advantages for Australia • Establishes Australia as the first nation to certify renewable synthetic methane   • Enables green steel, green metals, and renewable industrial heat   • Strengthens national energy security   • Creates renewable, storable baseload power   • Opens export markets for certified RSMG   

7. CRT as the Foundation Methodology CRT is mass‑balanced, closed‑loop, zero‑fossil, industrial‑scale, infrastructure‑compatible, and ready for regulatory adoption.   It should serve as the foundation methodology for PGO renewable methane certification. 

8. Policy Recommendation Australia should: 1. Formally recognise RSMG as a renewable fuel   2. Adopt CRT as the reference PGO methodology   3. Support RSMG under ARENA, CEFC, and WA programs   4. Enable RSMG‑based baseload renewable power   5. Embed RSMG in industrial precinct decarbonisation frameworks   © 2025 Clean Energy & Water Technologies Pty Ltd – CEWT Blue Edition (RSMG Version) Clean Energy & Water Technologies (CEWT) – White Paper 

9. Conclusion: RSMG from CRT creates a perpetual, renewable, circular energy system powered by sunlight, seawater, and wind. Recognising RSMG under PGO will transform Australia’s renewable energy system, enable zero‑emission baseload power, decarbonise heavy industry, and position Australia as a global leader in renewable synthetic fuels. 

© 2025 Clean Energy & Water Technologies Pty Ltd – CEWT Blue Edition

The Science and Philosophy of Carbon Recycling technology (CRT)

THE SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY OF CRT Carbon Recycling Technology by CEWT Introduction CRT recognises that renewable electricity alone cannot solve industrial energy needs. CRT treats carbon as a recyclable carrier and hydrogen as the universal elemental fuel. 1. SCIENCE OF CRT 1.1 Carbon Is a Carrier, Not a Consumable Fuel In CRT, carbon is never consumed. It circulates as CO2, CH4, and back again, acting like a reusable molecular energy carrier. 1.2 Hydrogen Is the Real Fuel — And It Has No Colour Hydrogen (H2) is chemically identical regardless of origin. CRT combines H2 with CO2 to create Renewable Synthetic Methane Gas (RSMG). 1.3 The CRT Reaction Cycle (Perpetual Loop) 1. Renewable hydrogen (H2) is produced. 2. CO2 is captured from turbine exhaust. 3. CO2 + 4H2 ® CH4 + 2H2O (methanation). 4. CH4 is used for power generation. 5. The CO2 produced is captured again. This loop repeats indefinitely without fossil carbon. 2. WHY CRT SOLVES THE ENERGY PROBLEM 2.1 Renewables Cannot Supply 24/7 Industrial Energy Wind and solar cannot alone deliver firm, stable, 24/7 industrial energy. RSMG provides renewable baseload using existing systems. 2.2 Hydrogen Alone Cannot Decarbonise Industry Hydrogen is difficult to store and transport. CRT converts it into CH4 (RSMG), which is stable, storable, transportable, and compatible with pipelines and turbines. 2.3 Fossil Fuel Is Not the Enemy — Fossil Carbon Is Carbon atoms are not harmful. Fossil carbon is. CRT eliminates fossil carbon entirely by recycling CO2 in a closed loop. 3. THE PHILOSOPHY OF CRT 3.1 Nature Does Not Waste All natural cycles are circular. CRT mirrors this by treating CO2 as a resource rather than waste. 3.2 The World Is Made of Atoms, Not Labels Nature recognises chemical species (CO2, H2, CH4, H2O). Human labels such as 'green' or 'blue' hydrogen do not change atomic behaviour. 3.3 True Sustainability Is a Closed Loop A sustainable system emits nothing that cannot be reused. CRT achieves perfect circularity through perpetual carbon recycling. Conclusion CRT creates a renewable, perpetual, closed-loop energy system powered by hydrogen and recycled carbon. By treating carbon as an asset and CO2 as feedstock, CRT aligns engineering with Nature’s own design principles.

The Eternal trinity of Nature and Carbon Recycling Technology!

Reflection: The Eternal Trinity of Nature and CRT The Sun, the Sea, and the Wind — Nature’s eternal trinity — have always sustained life on Earth. Each plays its part in balance: the Sun gives energy, the Sea absorbs and stores carbon, and the Wind distributes that energy across the planet. Carbon Recycling Technology (CRT) simply mirrors this balance in engineered form. The Sun provides renewable power to generate hydrogen. The Sea, through alkaline chemistry, captures CO₂. And the Wind ensures continuous renewable energy to sustain the loop. Together, these natural forces enable perpetual clean power — where carbon is no longer a waste, but a recyclable element of life itself. This is not just technology; it is Nature remembered through science. ⸻

The thermodynamics of the sun that made CRT possible!

Thermodynamics of Solar Energy – Foundation for CRT Solar energy represents high-quality, low-entropy radiation from a ~5778 K source (the Sun). When this radiation reaches Earth (~288 K), it enables the conversion of radiant energy into mechanical, electrical, or chemical work — within the boundaries of thermodynamics. CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology (CRT) leverages this thermodynamic gradient by using renewable electricity (derived from solar or other renewables) to recycle CO2 into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), thus creating a perpetual, zero-emission energy cycle. 1. Solar-to-Earth Thermodynamic Flow Sun (5778 K, low entropy photons)  high-exergy shortwave (VIS/UV/IR) Atmosphere (scattering, absorption)  Surface (~288 K)  absorption → heat, electricity, chemical energy Work (engines, PV) + Heat (oceans, buildings)  Re-radiation to space (~300 K, high-entropy IR) The key thermodynamic insight is that sunlight arrives as high-temperature, low-entropy radiation and leaves as low-temperature, high-entropy radiation — the entropy increase drives all renewable processes, from winds and hydrology to photosynthesis and CRT itself. 2. Example: Solar-Thermal Engine at 600 °C Parameter Value / Description Receiver Temperature (5778K) T1 600 C = 873 K Ambient Temperature ( 30 C) T2 300 K Carnot Efficiency  = 1 − T2/T1= 65.6% Optical × Thermal × Powerbock × Storage  0.85 × 0.90 × 0.40 × 0.95 = ~30% overall Effective Power Output ~260–280 W/m² at 900 W/m² input 3. Exergy of Sunlight (Petula Efficiency) For sunlight treated as blackbody radiation from T= 5778 K and sink at T= 300 K, the theoretical exergy fraction is:  = 1 − (4/3) (T1/T2) + (1/3)(T1/T2)  93%. This explains why solar-derived renewable energy extremely high work potential, which CRT harnesses to recycle carbon continuously using renewable electricity. 4. Connection to Carbon Recycling Technology (CRT) In CEWT’s Carbon Recycling Technology, renewable electricity (originating from solar, wind, or other renewables) is used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. This hydrogen reacts with captured CO2 to form Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) via methanation. The RNG is combusted to produce power, and the emitted CO2 is recaptured — forming a closed carbon loop. Thus, the solar thermodynamic gradient is the ultimate energy driver sustaining perpetual carbon recycling.