IN THE WORKS

If hydrogen can be produced without emissions, it’s logical to question why it isn’t yet happening at scale. One of the main reasons is cost. Natural gas reforming is the most cost-effective method for producing hydrogen, particularity where it means using infrastructure that’s already in place. A report produced by Shell and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy in 2017 stated that: ‘It can be assumed that hydrogen production from electrolysis will rise significantly if (surplus) electricity from renewable energies becomes increasingly available.’ However, the report also stated that for ‘newer production pathways, in particular electrolysis from renewables, substantial cost reductions still need to be achieved’.

One potentially important use of hydrogen is as a fuel for transport, with passenger cars, buses and material-handling vehicles already in the early stages of commercialisation. Hydrogen cars aren’t yet competitive in price, however, and are much less popular than battery electric vehicles. The Shell study noted that with ‘an ambitious climate scenario involving rapid technological advances and market development, automotive fuel cell technology would quickly become much more cost-effective’. It goes on to say that production costs for hydrogen (from renewables) could also fall in the medium to long term, allowing it to be distributed more cheaply as a fuel.