Hydrogen (H) has a centuries-long history full of scientific discoveries and technological advances that today, thanks to its characteristics, have led it to be a major player in the energy transition to a more sustainable future. This article will outline the milestones in the history of hydrogen up to the arrival of ILT Energia and how the company is contributing to the future of green energy.
16th Century: The Discovery
The history of those discoveries begins in 1671, when Robert Boyle observed that the reaction between iron filings and an acid solution produced a gaseous substance: he didn’t knew, but that gas was Hydrogen. The molecule (H2) was then first isolated by Henry Cavendish in 1766, who called the gas produced “flammable air.” The name Hydrogen (from Greek ὕδωρ, “water” and γένος, “generator”) was finally chosen in 1783 by Antoine Lavoisier.
19th century: Electrolysis
In 1800, Anthony Carlisle and William Nicholson, in an attempt to measure the charge of the battery invented by Alessandro Volta, poured water on the electrodes. They thus discovered Electrolysis, which is a process by which water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen through the application of electric current. This paved the way for new developments, both in industry and in the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier.
20th century: Hydrogen in the industrial age
In the 20th century, the first practical uses of hydrogen mainly involved inflating airships and balloons. However, incidents such as the live radio explosion of the Hindenburg airship in 1937 generated public distrust. At the same time, however, studies on hydrogen as a fuel brought many interesting results.
Hydrogen in Modern Society
With the beginning of the new millennium, the focus on curbing CO2 emissions allowed hydrogen-related technologies to enter the energy market. This gave rise to the idea of Green hydrogen, produced using only energy from renewable sources.
ILT Energia
ILT Energia fits within this long history roughly in the 1980s, when the company decided to bet on electrolysis technology as an industrial solution, giving birth to the first separate-line hydrogen and oxygen generators. But what does ILT Energia do today?
- It manufactures electrolyzers for on-site hydrogen and oxygen supply and nitrogen generators.
- It offers solutions tailored to the specific needs of the industrial sector (Goldsmithing, Brazing, Cutting, etc.).
- Actively engages in green innovation, contributing to the creation of a sustainable future.
Today, green hydrogen offers significant opportunities to reduce environmental impact, and ILT Energia is at the forefront of driving this transformation.
