Hydrogen can be both 'green' and 'blue' with very low emissions
Understanding the climate impact of different hydrogen production methods
The report “Factors Determining Emission Intensity of Hydrogen Production Pathways in the Netherlands”, published by New Energy Coalition analyzes the emission intensity of various hydrogen production methods. The study is based on an extensive literature review and assesses which factors have the greatest impact on the CO₂ emissions of hydrogen production in the Netherlands.
Key insights
The role of the energy source
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- The primary energy source determines 75-98% of the total climate impact of hydrogen production.
- Hydrogen production with wind, nuclear or hydropower energy has the lowest emission intensity.
- Grid power usage increases CO₂ emissions, especially if the power mix contains fossil energy.
Comparison of production technologies
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- Electrolysis: Emissions depend largely on the electricity source used.
- Thermochemical production (e.g. SMR, ATR): High emissions without CO₂ capture, but CCUS can reduce emissions by 40-75%.
- Biomass and biomethane: May produce negative emissions depending on the technology and processing used.
Other important emission factors
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- Efficiency of electrolysers and energy use for supporting processes.
- Transport and storage have a smaller, but situationally significant impact.
- Hydrogen production can further reduce emissions by by-products such as utilizing oxygen and heat.
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