Hydrogen demand to grow sixfold by 2050 – McKinsey
Industrial use, road transport and synfuel production after 2035 are responsible for bulk of demand growth
Hydrogen demand is projected to grow at least sixfold by 2050, driven by the road transport, maritime and aviation sectors, according to the central scenario in consultancy McKinsey’s Global Energy Perspective. Demand could rise from 80mn t/yr today to 536mn t/yr by 2050, depending on uptake in particular sectors. In McKinsey’s ‘Further Acceleration’ scenario—where countries accelerate their commitments to the Paris climate deal and global warming is kept to 1.9°C this century—industrial use in the iron and steel sectors will drive 29mn t/yr of hydrogen demand growth by 2035. Another 26mn t/yr of demand growth is expected to come from road transport, driven by the increasing cost-competitive
Also in this section
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure






