A gridded inventory of anthropogenic hydrogen emissions in Europe
article
Hydrogen (H2) is increasingly perceived as critical to the transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly in Europe, where ambitious climate targets require drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. However, hydrogen emissions are not included in current reporting obligations, and their environmental impact re mains underexplored. This study provides a first gridded inventory of anthropogenic hydrogen emissions across Europe, combining bottom-up estimates with spatially resolved activity data. In 2022, emissions were about 327 ktH2/year (276–378 ktH2/year). The largest sources are internal combustion engines in road transport (∼38%) and residential wood combustion (∼35%). By contrast, emissions from the hydrogen value chain are smaller, around 83 ktH2/year (32–133 ktH2/year). However, hydrogen production is expected to increase 5- to 6-fold by 2050. Under such a scenario, hydrogen emissions from the hydrogen value chain can dominate hydrogen emissions in Europe and could undermine the climate benefits of hydrogen as an energy carrier, if not properly managed.
Topics
TNO Identifier
1023201
Source
Science(28), pp. 1-16.
Pages
1-16