Both low-, zero-carbon hydrogen needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Hydrogen Council

A combined approach of both low- and zero-carbon hydrogen will be needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 30 years, the Hydrogen Council said in a report Jan. 19.

That counters the message from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Jan. 19, who emphasized the need to produce hydrogen from renewables.

The Hydrogen Council's report, 'Hydrogen Decarbonization Pathways – A Life-Cycle Assessment,' measured how different sustainability aspects have been assessed for hydrogen production and supply.

"As an energy source for hydrogen production, both renewable power for water electrolysis and natural gas with very high shares of CCS can achieve marginal to low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, respectively, when considered well to use, including end-of-life emissions," the council said.

As it aims for decarbonization, the hydrogen economy will need a combination of both "green" and blue" production pathways, the council said, noting zero-carbon hydrogen produced through electrolysis from renewables and low-carbon hydrogen produced through steam reforming with carbon capture added.

"If hydrogen represents a global solution to decarbonize industry and to contribute to the energy transition, it's only by reducing emissions along the chain and taking into account each local specificity that we will be able to unlock its full potential," said Benoît Potier, Chairman, and CEO of Air Liquide and co-chair of the Hydrogen Council.

EC favors H2 from renewables

At the European Commission level, the direction is geared more toward green hydrogen produced from renewables through the process of electrolysis.

Addressing the council Jan. 20, president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said hydrogen was a "key asset" for the European Green Deal, but the focus had to be on clean hydrogen produced from renewables.

"Low-carbon hydrogen can be part of the transition, but only renewable hydrogen will bring us to climate neutrality," she said.

As such the European Commission aimed to make renewable hydrogen the best choice in economic terms.

"With enough commitment, we can reach the tipping point, where clean hydrogen becomes more competitive than its alternatives. With the right investment and the right policies, clean hydrogen can go mainstream," she said.

She restated that over a third of funds under the Eur750 billion NextGenerationEU recovery plan would finance the goals set out in the European Green Deal, including those for clean hydrogen.

The EU green deal targets 6 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2024 and at least 40 GW by 2030, producing up to 10 million mt/year of renewable hydrogen.