Bringing an evidence-based viewpoint into the political discussion on hydrogen
Climate science tells us we need to decarbonise the global economy by mid-century at the latest to avoid the worst climate impacts.
This warning from scientists and the Paris Agreement’s call for temperature rise to be limited to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C has led to a raft of countries to pledge to reach net-zero around mid-century. These pledges encompass about two-thirds of the global economy, while hundreds of cities, scores of states and regions, and thousands of companies across most sectors have made similar pledges.
The International Energy Agency has shown that to reach this global goal of net-zero emissions the priority needs to be shifting away from fossil fuels towards electricity-based, energy efficient heating and transport systems.
It’s no small challenge, but if done well decarbonisation can create jobs, future proof industrial sectors of the economy, improve air quality and cut bills for the public.
Innovative solutions like hydrogen are an important piece of this puzzle.
However, the production of hydrogen itself is a significant decarbonisation problem we have barely begun to tackle, given that almost all hydrogen in the world today is made from fossil fuels without Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
There is some confusion about which kind of hydrogen should be prioritised and for which end use sectors. Many governments are considering widespread use of hydrogen in sectors where there are already cheaper, more efficient solutions available today. This is despite the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recognising that hydrogen will represent, at best, 2 percent of total energy consumption in 2050.
Because near zero emission hydrogen is essential but is very energy inefficient and does not yet exist at scale, we cannot expect a hydrogen industry to have a significant impact on emissions or jobs within the next decade.
Developing a hydrogen economy is a long path forward, yet climate science shows us we need to act today to reach our net-zero goals.
In light of this confusion, our aim with the Hydrogen Science Coalition is to bring an evidence-based viewpoint into the global discussion on hydrogen’s role in the energy transition.
We are a group of independent academics, scientists and engineers who are specialists in hydrogen on production, transportation and potential end use sectors. We aim to ensure that hydrogen policy decisions reflect the most effective way forward in our path towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
It is with this in mind that we stand behind five guiding principles on hydrogen’s role in the energy transition:
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In conclusion, we encourage governments to consult independent experts, alongside the energy industry who stand to benefit from these policies, on the development of a hydrogen sector.
A successful climate action plan is no longer just about the rapid build out of wind turbines and the phasing out of coal plants. It is about deploying all the solutions we have within the right sectors, ensuring that we tap into all expertise available to guide these decisions.
A well thought through strategy on hydrogen is a key part of that climate action plan.