Hydrogen Production Using Nuclear Energy: A Pathway to Clean Energy Through Thermochemical and Electrochemical Processes, Integrating Nuclear Power with Hydrogen Generation Technologies.

The article focuses on hydrogen production using nuclear energy as a scalable, low-carbon solution to support decarbonization and energy system flexibility. It examines key hydrogen generation technologies—alkaline electrolysis (ALK), proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis, high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) via solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC), and thermochemical water splitting cycles such as Sulfur-Iodine (S-I) and Calcium-Bromine (Ca-Br)—and their integration with current and advanced nuclear reactors, including Generation IV designs like High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs). The paper discusses the advantages, limitations, and readiness levels of these technologies, highlighting alkaline electrolysis as the most mature and thermochemical cycles as promising but less developed. It also addresses challenges related to economic viability, infrastructure, regulatory complexity, and geographic mismatches between nuclear sites and hydrogen demand centers, while noting ongoing demonstration projects in the United States and international efforts in countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the UK. Overall, nuclear-powered hydrogen—often termed pink hydrogen—offers a complementary low-carbon alternative to green and blue hydrogen, with potential applications in transportation, industry, energy storage, and export markets.