At present the use of hydrogen as an alternate fuel is mostly a niche offering. Efficient transportation and storage remain key issues, and full-scale adoption would be a major undertaking. However, full-scale electrification of transport and/or heating, which has happened in some places, is also a substantial investment. Therefore, as is increasingly the case, hydrogen (particularly renewable-produced hydrogen) should be seriously considered as a part of our future energy mix as a solution that could provide an answer to the energy ‘trilemma’: sustainability, security of supply and affordability.
While progress has been made on the decarbonisation of power generation, the reality is that 80% of final energy consumption globally is derived from solid and liquid fuels. Without decarbonising fuel use, there is no guarantee that climate impacts will be contained. Hydrogen is an alternative fuel that can be produced from renewables and can help address climate impacts.
In this Insights, we explore some factors which may determine the use of hydrogen-based energy going forward.