Energy system overview More efforts needed
More efforts needed
Tracking report — September 2022
Authors and contributors
Licence
CC BY 4.0
Authors and contributors
Lead authors
Jose M Bermudez
Stavroula Evangelopoulou
Francesco Pavan
Hydrogen
- Abstract
- CO2 emissions
- Energy
- Technology deployment
- Policy
- Recommendations for policy makers
- Recommendations for the private sector
- Additional resources
Cite report
IEA (2022), Hydrogen, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/hydrogen, License: CC BY 4.0
About this report
Hydrogen and its derivatives should play an important role in the decarbonisation of those sectors where emissions are hard to abate and alternative solutions are either unavailable or difficult to implement, such as heavy industry, shipping, aviation and heavy-duty transport.
The momentum behind hydrogen remained strong over the past year. Nine countries – which cover around 30% of global energy sector emissions today – released their national strategies in 2021-2022. Hydrogen demand grew in new applications, although from a very low base, reflecting accelerated deployment of fuel cell EVs, particularly in heavy-duty trucks in China. Some key new applications for hydrogen are showing signals of progress, particularly in the steel sector where announcements for new projects are growing fast just one year after the start-up of the first large pilot project for the use of pure electrolytic hydrogen in direct reduction of iron. In transport, the first fleet of hydrogen trains started operating in Germany and major shipping companies have signed strategic partnerships to secure the supply of hydrogen and its derivative fuels in the short term. On the supply side, electrolyser manufacturing capacity has doubled since last year, reaching nearly 8 GW per year; and the realisation of all the projects in the pipeline could lead to an installed electrolyser capacity of 134-240 GW by 2030, twice the expectations from last year.
Nonetheless, these laudable developments still are below what is needed to get on track with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Faster action is required on creating demand for low-emission hydrogen and unlocking investment that can accelerate production scale up and deployment of infrastructure.
CO2 emissions
In the Net Zero Scenario, the use of low-emission hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels lead to modest reductions in CO2 emissions in 2030. The contribution of hydrogen technologies is significantly lower than the contributions of other key mitigation measures, such as the deployment of renewables, direct electrification and behavioural change. However, hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels can play an important role in sectors where emissions are hard to abate and where those other mitigation measures may not be available or would be difficult to implement. Hydrogen's total contribution is also larger in the longer term as hydrogen-based technologies mature.
Current production of hydrogen, mainly used in the chemical and petrochemical sectors, is responsible for more than 900 Mt of CO2 emissions – switching those sectors to low-emission hydrogen use is a priority. Replacing unabated fossil fuel-based hydrogen with low-emission hydrogen in these applications presents relatively low technical challenges as it is a like-for-like substitution rather than a fuel switch.
New applications scale up rapidly after 2030 in the Net Zero Scenario, although they also contribute ahead of 2030. Low-emission hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels are an important tool for the decarbonisation of heavy industry and the long-distance transport sector, particularly in applications where other clean energy alternatives, such as direct electrification, present technical challenges or cannot be implemented:
- In highly energy intensive transport segments (aviation and shipping), the substitution of fossil fuels with hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels should be demonstrated in the early 2020s to ensure that they can start delivering emission reductions by the end of the decade.
- In road transport, battery electric vehicles are more efficient and more developed than hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). However, hydrogen scales up faster in road transport in the medium term than in shipping and aviation since FCEV technology is further advanced, especially heavy-duty trucks.
- New applications in industry are particularly important in steelmaking (hydrogen-based direct reduced iron [DRI] and hydrogen blending in DRI or blast furnaces), while in other industrial sub-sectors the use of hydrogen for high-temperature heat production will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Energy
Global hydrogen demand by sector in the Net Zero Scenario, 2019-2030
OpenexpandGlobal hydrogen demand reached 94 Mt in 2021, a 5% increase on demand in 2020, driven mainly by the recovery of activity in the chemical sector and refining. Moreover, hydrogen demand surpassed its historical maximum of 91 Mt achieved in 2019. However, most of this demand was met by hydrogen produced from unabated fossil fuels, with deleterious effects on the climate.
Hydrogen demand remains concentrated in traditional applications in the refining and chemical sectors, with very limited penetration in new applications. Demand in new applications, such as transport, high-temperature heat in industry, hydrogen-based DRI, power and buildings, grew by 60% in 2021 to reach around 40 kt H2, which only represents 0.04% of global hydrogen demand. Most of this demand is concentrated in road transport, which observed a significant increase as a result of the accelerated deployment of FCEVs, particularly fuel cell heavy-duty trucks in China. The good news came from several demonstrators of key end uses entering operation: chemicals production (Iberdrola-Fertiberia Project in Spain), iron and steel (Hybrit project in Sweden) and power generation (JERA project in Japan). Bringing these technologies to commercialisation as soon as possible is critical to unlock a significant fraction of demand in these new applications.
Getting on track with the Net Zero Scenario requires a step change in demand creation, particularly in new applications. By 2030 hydrogen demand reaches around 180 Mt, with nearly half of that demand coming from new applications, particularly in heavy industry, power generation and the production of hydrogen-based fuels.
Technology deployment
Global hydrogen production by technology in the Net Zero Scenario, 2019-2030
OpenexpandHydrogen production today is primarily based on fossil fuel technologies, with over a sixth of the global hydrogen supply coming from “by-product” hydrogen, mainly from facilities and processes in the petrochemical industry.
Low-emission production represented less than 1% of total hydrogen production over the last three years. In 2021 low-emission hydrogen production grew by 9%, reflecting the growth in commissioning projects. More than 200 MW of electrolysers started operating in 2021, including 160 MW in China and more than 30 MW in Europe.
In the Net Zero Scenario, low-emission hydrogen production accounts for around 95 Mt, more than half of global hydrogen production by 2030. Around two-thirds of this production is based on electrolysis, whereas another third is hydrogen produced from fossil fuels with CCUS. This will require an installed capacity of more than 700 GW of electrolysers, which is equivalent to a hydrogen output of 128 Mt/year, and a production capacity of around 37 Mt/year of hydrogen in plants using fossil fuel with CCUS facilities.
Policy
Over the last year, 9 governments have adopted a hydrogen strategy. This has raised to 26 the total number of governments that have committed to adopt hydrogen as a clean energy vector in their energy system.
Targets for the deployment of hydrogen production technologies are growing. National targets for the deployment of electrolysis capacity total 145-190 GW, more than double the 74 GW of last year. However, there has been very limited progress in establishing targets to increase demand for low-emission hydrogen:
- Cumulative targets for the use of low-emission hydrogen in industrial applications cover only around 4% of current global hydrogen demand (around 4 Mt H2) compared with slightly more than 3% last year.
- In transport, global targets for the deployment of FCEVs grew by just 13% in 2021, to reach a global objective of close to 1.2 million vehicles.
- Targets in areas like hydrogen blending, power generation and the use of hydrogen in domestic applications remained limited to a couple of examples in each of these sectors.
Governments have also adopted targets for infrastructure development (particularly for hydrogen refuelling stations).
There has been very limited progress in the adoption of policies to stimulate demand creation over the past year. The majority of policies in place focus on supporting demand creation in transport applications, mainly through purchase subsidies (about 20 countries have subsidies in place for the purchase of FCEVs).
A very small number of policies target industrial applications, despite accounting for the majority of current hydrogen demand and representing the best short-term opportunity to create demand for low-emission hydrogen. Low-carbon fuel standards or renewable transport obligations, which can facilitate the uptake of low-emission hydrogen in refineries, are currently in place in Canada, the United Kingdom and California, and the Dutch government announced that the use of renewable hydrogen in refineries will count towards the renewable fuel transport obligation from 2025. Similarly, the adoption of quotas and mandates is another tool that governments have started to consider to support demand creation in industry, aviation and shipping, although none of the announced quotas has entered into force yet or is legally binding. Other applications, such as power generation, are well behind in terms of policy action, with only a few examples available.
Public funding for hydrogen R&D observed its largest annual increase in 2021, with a 35% increase compared with 2020. Hydrogen technologies received around 5% of the total R&D budget for clean energy technologies. European countries were the main contributors to this increase, nearly doubling their expenditure.
Governments are also stepping up efforts to stimulate strategic demonstration of key hydrogen technologies, with numerous new programmes in place:
- Four small-scale demonstrators (December 2021) and three large-scale projects (March 2022) have been awarded grants from the EU Innovation Fund, and new calls will open in the second half of 2022, with increased funding available.
- In November 2021 the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (a public–private partnership) was established as a successor to the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, to support research and innovation activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe.
- The US Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has also provided significant support to R&D and demonstration, including USD 1.0 billion for R&D on clean electrolysis and USD 0.5 billion for manufacturing and recycling of clean hydrogen technologies over five years. In addition, the law provides USD 8 billion over five years to develop hydrogen hubs that will also support demonstration projects.
- Many other countries, including Germany, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom, have launched new programmes to support demonstration projects in 2021.
Beyond individual national efforts, international cooperation is paramount to align objectives, increase market size and promote knowledge-sharing and the development of best practices. Over the past year, 15 new bilateral international agreements between governments have been signed, most of them focused on the development of international hydrogen trade. In the private sector, companies have joined forces to develop first-of-a-kind technologies and international supply chains. The Port of Rotterdam is the most active organisation on this front, with several memorandums of understanding and partnerships in place, mostly with the objective of exploring opportunities to import hydrogen.
Multilateral cooperation has also grown with two new initiatives:
- In November 2021 the Breakthrough Agenda was launched at COP26 with a commitment from 44 countries to work together to make clean technologies affordable and accessible globally before 2030. Hydrogen is one of the breakthroughs adopted.
- In May 2022 the G7 launched a Hydrogen Action Pact to accelerate the ramp-up of low-emission hydrogen, technology development, the shaping of regulatory frameworks and standards, and financial commitments.
Recommendations for policy makers
Demand creation for low-emission hydrogen is lagging behind what is needed to put the world on track with the Net Zero Scenario. Carbon pricing can help to close the cost gap between low-emission hydrogen and its fossil-based competitors, but it is not enough. A wider adoption of carbon prices combined with other policy instruments such as auctions, mandates, quotas and hydrogen-specific requirements in public procurement can help industry de-risk investment and improve the economic feasibility of low-emission hydrogen.
Stimulating demand can prompt investment in these areas, but without further policy action, this process will not happen at the necessary pace to meet climate goals. Providing tailor-made support to selected, shovel-ready flagship projects can kick-start the scaling up of low-emission hydrogen and the development of infrastructure and manufacturing capacity from which later projects can benefit.
There is an urgent need to demonstrate key hydrogen technologies to make sure that they reach commercialisation as soon as possible and are ready to deliver CO2 emission savings at scale by 2030. Unlocking the full potential demand for hydrogen will require strong demonstration efforts over the next decade in hydrogen end-use applications in heavy industry, long-distance road transport, aviation and shipping.
The adoption of hydrogen as an energy vector will result in the development of new value chains. This will require the modification of current regulatory frameworks and the definition of standards and certification schemes that can remove barriers preventing widespread adoption. An international agreement is needed on a methodology for calculating the carbon footprint of hydrogen production to ensure that hydrogen production is truly low-emission and to assist the development of a global hydrogen market.
Recommendations for the private sector
The adoption of low-emission hydrogen as a clean energy vector presents technology challenges. First movers will face risks due to a lack of knowledge and market uncertainty; however, completing demonstration projects to gain operational experience and develop in-house know-how can position them ahead of their competitors at the moment when deployment of the technology scales up.
The new value chains emerging from the use of hydrogen as an energy vector will be complex and require coordination among multiple stakeholders. By bringing together actors from across the entire value chain, these alliances can facilitate knowledge transfer and project management, help deal with the “chicken and egg” problem of hydrogen production and use, and enhance competitiveness, thus increasing the chances of success.
Additional resources
The IEA Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme aims to accelerate the deployment and use of hydrogen technologies by carrying out and co-ordinating collaborative analysis, applied research and communications.
The IEA Advanced Fuel Cells Technology Collaboration Programme examines the opportunities and barriers to fuel cell commercialisation in depth to foster the international development of technologies and their applications, and to convey key messages to the community, the IEA, policy makers and the general public.
FAQs
What is hydrogen IEA? ›
The IEA Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme aims to accelerate the deployment and use of hydrogen technologies by carrying out and co-ordinating collaborative analysis, applied research and communications.
What is the IEA energy outlook for hydrogen? ›Hydrogen demand reached 94 million tonnes (Mt) in 2021, recovering to above pre-pandemic levels (91 Mt in 2019), and containing energy equal to about 2.5% of global final energy consumption.
What is the levelized cost of hydrogen IEA? ›Depending on regional gas prices, the levelised cost of hydrogen production from natural gas ranges from USD 0.5 to USD 1.7 per kilogramme (kg).
What is mean by hydrogen analysis? ›Hydrogen analysis in organic sample materials
For organic sample materials such as coal, wood or waste the hydrogen concentration is an important indicator for the determination of the calorific value. In most cases, hydrogen will be chemically bound in organic material, for example in a carbon-hydrogen compound.
Green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, brown hydrogen and even yellow hydrogen, turquoise hydrogen and pink hydrogen. They're essentially colour codes, or nicknames, used within the energy industry to differentiate between the types of hydrogen.
What are the 3 types of hydrogen? ›3 Main Types of Hydrogen - Blue, Grey and Green - Brunel.
Who is leading in hydrogen? ›China consumes and produces more hydrogen than any other country – its current annual usage is more than 24 million tonnes.
What is the major downside of hydrogen power? ›Hydrogen is abundant, and can be made from renewable energy. Cons: This space-age technology is expensive. Acceptable range requires extremely-high-pressure, on-board hydrogen storage. Few places to refuel.
What is the United States hydrogen strategy? ›The DOE National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap provides a comprehensive overview of the potential for hydrogen production, transport, storage, and use in the United States and outlines how clean hydrogen can contribute to national decarbonization and economic development goals.
How much does hydrogen cost $/ kWh? ›Hydrogen can be produced from polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers at a cost of ~$5 to $6/kg-H2, assuming existing technology, low volume electrolyzer capital costs as high as $1,500/kW, and grid electricity prices of $0.05/kWh to $0.07/kWh.
What is the levelized cost of hydrogen 2030? ›
The scientists found that the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) could drop from around €0.031-0.081/kWh currently to €0.02-0.05 by 2030 and €0.01-0.027 by 2050.
How much does an IEA electrolyser cost? ›CAPEX requirements are currently in the range of USD 500-1 400/kWe for alkaline electrolysers and USD 1 100-1 800/kWe for PEM electrolysers, while estimates for solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC) electrolysers range across USD 2 800-5 600/kWe.
What are the two tests of hydrogen? ›- A characteristic test for hydrogen (H2) gas can be performed by bringing a burning candle near the source of hydrogen.
- On doing so, hydrogen gas burns with a squeaky pop sound.
- Hydrogen gas is recognized by the 'pop' when it burns.
- The 'pop' is the sound of a small explosion.
There are four main sources for the commercial production of hydrogen: natural gas, oil, coal, and electrolysis; which account for 48%, 30%, 18% and 4% of the world's hydrogen production respectively. Fossil fuels are the dominant source of industrial hydrogen.
What are 4 properties of hydrogen? ›Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and nonpoisonous gas under normal conditions on Earth.
What is the strongest hydrogen? ›Fluorine, which has the highest electronegativity, forms the strongest hydrogen bond.
Why don't we use hydrogen as a fuel? ›But it is not used as domestic fuel, due to several reasons : Hydrogen is not easily available and cost of production is high Unlike other gases, hydrogen is not readily available in the atmosphere. It requires processes like electrolysis of water for its production. This is a very costly process and time consuming.
What is the old name for hydrogen? ›In 1766 Henry Cavendish, English chemist and physicist, showed that hydrogen, then called flammable air, phlogiston, or the flammable principle, was distinct from other combustible gases because of its density and the amount of it that evolved from a given amount of acid and metal.
What are the 5 properties of hydrogen? ›Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, non-metallic, tasteless, extremely flammable diatomic gas with molecular formula H2 at standard temperature and pressure.
Is hydrogen a solid or a gas? ›Hydrogen is a gas at normal temperature and pressure, but hydrogen condenses to a liquid at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 253 degrees Celsius).
What are 7 characteristics of hydrogen? ›
Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula H 2. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible. Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, constituting roughly 75% of all normal matter.
What is the best hydrogen company to invest in? ›| Hydrogen Stock | Ticker Symbol | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Air Products | (NYSE:APD) | $67.2 billion |
| Plug Power | (NASDAQ:PLUG) | $9.7 billion |
| Bloom Energy | (NYSE:BE) | $4.6 billion |
| Ballard Power Systems | (NASDAQ:BLDP) | $1.8 billion |
Plug Power, which supplies fuel cells for electric forklifts used by Amazon and other companies, said the retail giant plans to buy thousands of tons of carbon-free “green” hydrogen from it per year in a deal that also includes an option to acquire a stake in the company worth up to $2.1 billion.
Which country is rich in hydrogen? ›China is currently the largest producer of hydrogen at about 33 million tons a year, with the bulk of that produced from fossil fuels, according to a CSIS report.
Why is hydrogen power not widely used right now? ›We don't yet have a hydrogen economy because: Elemental hydrogen is scarce. The cheapest way to make hydrogen also makes lots of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide emissions are not yet priced.
Is hydrogen better than EV? ›Hydrogen fuel cars offer a greater range than EVs. They offer better refuelling time as well. The electric cars, on the other hand, the range is largely dependent on which vehicle the consumer is buying. More expensive EVs offer a better range than cheaper models.
Why is hydrogen bad for the environment? ›Hydrogen interferes with the breakdown of heat-trapping methane in the atmosphere. It has other warming effects, too. Here, hydrogen increases high-altitude water vapor. Hydrogen increases ozone levels here, a greenhouse gas and key component of smog.
What does Elon Musk think hydrogen? ›Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls hydrogen “the most dumb thing I could possibly imagine for energy storage.”
What is the US roadmap for hydrogen? ›The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a draft National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, which sets out three key priorities: the targeting of strategic, high-impact uses of hydrogen; reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1/kg by 2031; and focusing on the deployment of at least four regional clean ...
What are the main three 3 hydrogen production technologies? ›Hydrogen gas can be produced from hydrocarbon fuels through three basic technologies: (i) steam reforming (SR), (ii) partial oxidation (POX), and (iii) autothermal reforming (ATR).
What is the cheapest source of hydrogen? ›
The carbon monoxide is reacted with water to produce additional hydrogen. This method is the cheapest, most efficient, and most common. Natural gas reforming using steam accounts for the majority of hydrogen produced in the United States annually.
Can hydrogen be cheaper than gas? ›In 2021, hydrogen retailed $8.50/kg to $10.80/kg higher than gasoline prices matching the same fuel cost per mile for hybrids or conventional gasoline vehicles respectively. Hydrogen has been used commercially for over 80 years, so it is well developed.
Is it cheaper to transport hydrogen or electricity? ›Hydrogen's Potential As an Energy Carrier
That's the interesting thing: It is about 10 times cheaper to transport energy by a hydrogen pipeline than by an electric cable.
Once produced, H2 generates power in a fuel cell and this emits only water and warm air. Thus, it holds promise for growth in the energy sector. The IEA calculates that hydrogen demand has tripled since the 1970s and projects its continued growth.
Is green hydrogen economically feasible? ›According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, if these costs continue to fall, green hydrogen could be produced for $0.70 – $1.60 per kg in most parts of the world by 2050, a price competitive with natural gas.
Can hydrogen be made cheaper? ›Scientists worldwide are working on more efficient and affordable ways of producing no-carbon hydrogen such as through the electrochemical process of water splitting, which involves running electricity through water in the presence of catalysts to split the liquid into its chemical constituents: hydrogen and oxygen.
How much hydrogen does a 1 GW electrolyser produce? ›Considering a very large 1 GW electrolyser, operating with an efficiency of 75% for 8,000 hours per year, the annual hydrogen production would be 0.15 million tons of hydrogen and 3 million tons of water (assuming 20 kg of water use per kilo of hydrogen).
How much hydrogen does a 50 MW electrolyser produce? ›It is planned that the electrolyser will produce 20,000 kg of hydrogen.
How much hydrogen does a 10 MW electrolyser produce? ›'The planned 10 MW PEM electrolyser will be able to produced 4500 kg of hydrogen per day. That is enough hydrogen to power for example around 900 cars or 50 buses, or even 50 trains with fuel cell drive,' says Heinrich Gärtner, CEO of H-TEC Systems.
What does IEA stand for energy? ›International Energy Agency (IEA)
What are biofuels IEA? ›
Biofuels. Biofuels are liquid fuels derived from biomass, and are used as an alternative to fossil fuel based liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels.
Why is IEA important? ›The IEA is at the heart of global dialogue on energy, providing authoritative analysis, data, policy recommendations, and real-world solutions to help countries provide secure and sustainable energy for all. The IEA was created in 1974 to help co-ordinate a collective response to major disruptions in the supply of oil.
What is hydrogen energy in simple words? ›Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used to store, move, and deliver energy produced from other sources. Today, hydrogen fuel can be produced through several methods. The most common methods today are natural gas reforming (a thermal process), and electrolysis.
What is the criticism of IEA? ›Bias against renewable energy
The IEA has been criticised for systematically underestimating the role of renewable energy sources in future energy systems such as photovoltaics and their cost reductions.
90% of employees at IEA say it is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. Source: Great Place To Work® 2021 Global Employee Engagement Study.
Who is behind IEA? ›The IEA is a registered educational and research charity. The organisation states that it is funded by "voluntary donations from individuals, companies and foundations who want to support its work, plus income from book sales and conferences" and says that it is "independent of any political party or group".
What is the IEA outlook for biofuels? ›By 2030 under the Net Zero Scenario biofuel production reaches 15 EJ, requiring average growth of around 16% per year. Advanced feedstock usage must also expand: biofuels produced from waste and residue resources meet 45% of total biofuel demand by 2030, up from around an 8% share in 2021.
Is IEA peer reviewed? ›The International Energy Agency (IEA) has conducted in-depth peer reviews of its member countries' energy policies since 1976. This process supports energy policy development and encourages the exchange of and learning from international best practices.
How much does it cost to join IEA? ›There is a $55 yearly membership fee to join IEA. There is a monthly fee for IEA practices from August to March ($115/month for 2022-2023 season).
Who is father of IEA? ›The law is mainly based upon the firm work by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, who could be called the founding father of this comprehensive piece of legislation.
What is the only disadvantage of hydrogen energy source? ›
Hydrogen is a highly inflammable substance and explosive in nature; it cannot be easily transported from one place to another and it can be generated by the hydrolysis of water but it is a very expensive process.
Why is hydrogen not used as a fuel? ›But it is not used as domestic fuel, due to several reasons : Hydrogen is not easily available and cost of production is high Unlike other gases, hydrogen is not readily available in the atmosphere. It requires processes like electrolysis of water for its production. This is a very costly process and time consuming.
What are the disadvantages of hydrogen energy? ›Hydrogen fuel cells
Cons: This space-age technology is expensive. Acceptable range requires extremely-high-pressure, on-board hydrogen storage. Few places to refuel. Hydrogen is very expensive to transport and there is no infrastructure in place yet.