Green Hydrogen is not the Holy Grail

It has to be recognised that green hydrogen is not the holy grail of our energy needs. As we seek transition pathways to net zero there is a growing, healthy skepticism or caution regarding the role of green hydrogen as a panacea for our energy challenges. The climate crisis, energy crisis and cost of energy all combined to create a massive hydrogen tidal wave that was going to sweep away our energy woes. However this last 18 months have showed that green hydrogen as a clean energy vector still has a way to travel before it meets the scale and dynamic to meet need. Green hydrogen is acknowledged as a promising clean energy carrier especially for specific uses but not all applications. As we develop a balanced pathway to net zero, it is essential to acknowledge both the potential benefits and limitations of green hydrogen.:
Green hydrogen is produced without emitting carbon dioxide, making it a clean and environmentally friendly energy carrier. It can be used in various sectors, such as industry, transportation, and electricity generation, contributing to the decarbonization of different segments of the economy.Hydrogen can also play a significant role in energy storage, helping address the intermittency of renewable energy sources by storing excess energy during periods of abundance.
On the flip side, the production of green hydrogen when viewed on economic terms only is currently more expensive, this raises questions about its economic viability and scalability. Developing the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen production, transportation, and storage requires substantial investments and may face technical challenges. In addition the process of producing green hydrogen through electrolysis involves energy losses, and the overall efficiency needs improvement.
While green hydrogen has significant potential, as Mark Welsh stated way back in 2018 ‘it is not a silver bullet.’ It is important to view hydrogen as an evolving technology, scale takes time, skill and expertise and as such hydrogen is not the panacea for all of our energy ills but it will be part of a broader energy transition strategy. As we transition to net zero we have to balance the pathway and ensure need is consistently met from a variety of cleaner energy options. Diversifying our energy mix, improving energy efficiency, developing a new clean energy economic model and investing in other clean technologies are also crucial components of a sustainable and resilient energy future. The term “holy grail” implies an ultimate solution, and in reality, achieving a sustainable energy future where we meet the targets of 2030 and 2050 will require a combination of different technologies, approaches and hydrogen will have its place in meeting specific need where the returns will be measured on a combined economic, environmental and social scale and will be of benefit to all.

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