Ammonia production presents an early market for low-carbon hydrogen
Low-carbon hydrogen requires $600bn investment by 2050 – Wood Mackenzie
Global demand for low-carbon hydrogen expected to rise to 223mn t/yr by 2050, initially driven by use in ammonia production
Low-carbon hydrogen production will require at least $600bn in investment by 2050, according to research firm Wood Mackenzie. Global demand for low-carbon hydrogen is currently under 1mn t/yr, but is expected to rise to 223mn t/yr by 2050. “Substantial investments are required to accommodate the anticipated growth for the global low-carbon hydrogen market up to 2050,” says Flor Lucia De la Cruz, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Developers will need to invest at least $600bn by 2050, and consumers will be required to commit to offtake hydrogen not yet contracted. The opportunity is huge.” 223mn t/yr – Global demand for hydrogen by 2050 The pipeline for low-carbon hydrogen p
Also in this section
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
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
