Hydrogen fuel a ‘dead end’ for net zero
The fuel is expensive, inefficient and associated with worse environmental impacts than other options when it comes to heating and transport, argues Hydrogen Science Coalition
Hydrogen as a fuel for heating and transport is too inefficient and expensive a route for the world to take if it is to reach net zero by 2050, according to David Cebon, a professor at the University of Cambridge and a member of thinktank the Hydrogen Science Coalition. “The most effective use cases for green hydrogen to reduce emissions are exactly what it is used for now,” Cebon argues, highlighting fertilisers, petrochemicals and glass as carbon-intensive sectors where hydrogen is used in vast quantities. Steelmaking, responsible for 7–8pc of global emissions, is a sector where hydrogen could replace coking coal to directly reduce iron. “In all these industrial processes, hydrogen will be

Also in this section
11 April 2025
Tariffs and other protectionist measures raise questions about China’s plans to export green fuels and electrolysers, despite its huge cost advantages
11 April 2025
German firm reserves site for three-phase project as developers flock to Europe’s latest green hydrogen hotspot
8 April 2025
Gulf Energy to provide AIQ with exclusive access to its proprietary datasets and industry-leading documents. ENERGYai is already trained on petabytes of operational data from ADNOC, and this agreement will provide the solution with access to even greater quantities of relevant, high-quality industry information
7 April 2025
SAF provides a viable offtake solution for hydrogen producers and benefits from regulatory mandates and strong political support, ensuring long-term demand at higher prices