Tracking report
Hydrogen
Tracking progress 2021
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier, which can help to tackle various critical energy challenges. Hydrogen can be produced from almost all energy resources, though today’s use of hydrogen in oil refining and chemical production is mostly covered by hydrogen from fossil fuels, with significant associated CO2 emissions.
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Clean hydrogen, being produced from renewables, nuclear or fossil fuels with CCUS, can help to decarbonise a range of sectors, including long-haul transport, chemicals, iron and steel, where it is proven difficult to reduce emissions. Hydrogen can also help to improve air quality in cities and improve energy security. Hydrogen can also support the integration of variable renewables in the electricity system, being one of the very few options for storing electricity over days, weeks or months. Today hydrogen is mainly used in the refining and chemical sectors and produced from fossils, accounting for 6% of global natural gas use and 2% of coal consumption and being responsible for 830 MtCO2 of annual CO2 emissions. Scale-up will be critical to bring down the costs of technologies for producing and using clean hydrogen, such as electrolysers, fuel cells and hydrogen production with CCUS.
Last updated Oct 22, 2021
Key findings
Cumulative emissions reduction by mitigation measure in the Net Zero Scenario, 2021-2050
OpenHydrogen is an increasingly important piece of the net zero emissions by 2050 puzzle
The key pillars of decarbonising the global energy system are energy efficiency, behavioural change, electrification, renewables, hydrogen and hydrogen‐based fuels, and CCUS. The importance of hydrogen in the Net zero Emissions Scenario is reflected in its increasing share in cumulative emission reductions. Strong hydrogen demand growth and the adoption of cleaner technologies for its production thus enable hydrogen and hydrogen based fuels to avoid up to 60 Gt CO2 emissions in 2021-2050 in the Net zero Emissions Scenario, representing 6% of total cumulative emissions reductions.
Global demand for pure hydrogen, 1975-2018
OpenDemand for hydrogen continues to rise, almost entirely supplied from fossil fuels
Supplying hydrogen to industrial users is now a major business around the world. Demand for hydrogen, which has grown more than threefold since 1975, continues to rise – almost entirely supplied from fossil fuels, with 6% of global natural gas and 2% of global coal going to hydrogen production. As a consequence, production of hydrogen is responsible for CO2 emissions of around 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of the United Kingdom and Indonesia combined.
Analysis
Statistics report
Energy Technology RD&D Budgets: Overview
Tracking trends in spending on research, development and demonstration
Article
Hydrogen meets batteries: hydrides for solid state batteries
Part of Today in the Lab - Tomorrow in Energy?
Article
Proving the viability of underground hydrogen storage
Part of Today in the Lab - Tomorrow in Energy?
Technology report
Global Hydrogen Review 2021
Technology report
Hydrogen in Latin America
From near-term opportunities to large-scale deployment
Article
Ten years of clean energy start-ups
Tracking success and looking ahead to opportunities in emerging markets
Technology report
Hydrogen in North-Western Europe
A vision towards 2030
Events
24 Nov 2021 12:00—14:45
Hydrogen in the energy system decarbonization
12 Oct 2021
CEM Global Ports Hydrogen Coalition
03 May 2021 17:00—18:30
Hydrogen in North-West Europe: A vision towards 2030
18 Mar 2021 13:00—14:30
Power System Flexibility Campaign - Hydrogen and the role of synthetic fuels in power system flexibility
Latest news
Decisive action by governments is critical to unlock growth for low-carbon hydrogen
The Netherlands is well prepared to reduce CO2 emissions, IEA policy review says
IEA hosts high-level meeting on ways to scale up low-carbon hydrogen industries
IEA hosts high-level meeting on technologies for a clean energy future
Reports
Our work on Hydrogen
The Hydrogen TCP, founded in 1977, works to accelerate hydrogen implementation and widespread utilisation in the areas of production, storage, distribution, power, heating, mobility and industry. The Hydrogen TCP seeks to optimise environmental protection, improve energy security, transform global energy systems and grid management, and promote international economic development, as well as serving as the premier global resource for expertise in all aspects of hydrogen technology.
