Over the rainbow: The role of hydrogen in a clean energy system, explained

(Climate Home News, 13 Jul 2022) If the world is to avoid climate catastrophe then it must rapidly cut down on fossil fuels. Many of the things the world currently uses fossil fuels for can be done with renewable electricity but others – like making steel and fuelling planes – cannot. For those, a potential alternative is to use hydrogen gas.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the global energy system will need 150 million tonnes of “low carbon” hydrogen a year by 2030 and 520 million tonnes by 2050.

Currently, production of low-carbon or zero-carbon hydrogen is negligible. Even if all the world’s announced industrial plans are realised, the IEA says there will only be around 17 million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen produced a year by 2030.

"Low-carbon" hydrogen must ramp up rapidly to reach global net zero by 2050

This Climate Home News explainer will answer questions like: What is hydrogen and how is it made? What is it used for, what can it be used for and what should it be used for? How will it change our world?

What is hydrogen and how is it produced?

Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless gas with the chemical symbol 'H' and is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe.

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Climate Home News, 13 Jul 2022: Over the rainbow: The role of hydrogen in a clean energy system, explained

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