8. Further Applications

The applications of hydrogen in energy technology and automotive engineering discussed so far are still developing and currently account for only a few percent of global use. About half of the hydrogen currently used in industry is employed in the Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia, which is used as a feedstock for the production of nitrogen fertilizer. Another quarter of hydrogen is used in refinery processes to process petroleum, particularly for hydrofining and hydrocracking. Hydrogen and carbon monoxide (synthesis gas) also form the raw materials for the production of liquid fuels from gas, biomass or coal using the Fischer-Tropsch process and for the production of methanol. Furthermore, hydrogen is used in the semiconductor industry, analytical chemistry, food chemistry, water treatment and metallurgy. Finally, hydrogen plays an important role in metabolic processes. Table 8.1 provides an overview of these further applications of hydrogen.