Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier, which can help to tackle various critical energy challenges. Hydrogen can be produced from almost all energy resources, though today’s use of hydrogen in oil refining and chemical production is mostly covered by hydrogenfrom fossil fuels, with significant associated CO2 emissions.
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Clean hydrogen, being produced from renewables, nuclear or fossil fuels with CCUS, can help to decarbonise a range of sectors, including long-haul transport, chemicals, iron and steel, where it is proven difficult to reduce emissions. Hydrogen can also help to improve air quality in cities and improve energy security. Hydrogen can also support the integration of variable renewables in the electricity system, being one of the very few options for storing electricity over days, weeks or months. Today hydrogen is mainly used in the refining and chemical sectors and produced from fossils, accounting for 6% of global natural gas use and 2% of coal consumption and being responsible for 830 MtCO2 of annual CO2 emissions. Scale-up will be critical to bring down the costs of technologies for producing and using clean hydrogen, such as electrolysers, fuel cells and hydrogen production with CCUS.
Last updated Jun 16, 2020
Key findings
Global demand for pure hydrogen, 1975-2018
OpenDemand for hydrogen continues to rise, almost entirely supplied from fossil fuels
Supplying hydrogen to industrial users is now a major business around the world. Demand for hydrogen, which has grown more than threefold since 1975, continues to rise – almost entirely supplied from fossil fuels, with 6% of global natural gas and 2% of global coal going to hydrogen production. As a consequence, production of hydrogen is responsible for CO2 emissions of around 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of the United Kingdom and Indonesia combined.
Low-carbon hydrogen production, 2010-2030, historical, announced and in the Sustainable Development Scenario, 2030
OpenA record year for electrolysis capacity
Hydrogen technologies maintained strong momentum in 2019, awakening keen interest among policy makers. It was a record year for electrolysis capacity becoming operational and several significant announcements were made for upcoming years. The fuel cell electric vehicle market almost doubled owing to outstanding expansion in China, Japan and Korea. However, low-carbon production capacity remained relatively constant and is still off track with the SDS. More efforts are needed to: scale up to reduce costs; replace high-carbon with low-carbon hydrogen in current applications; and expand hydrogen use to new applications,
Analysis
Tracking report
Hydrogen
Tracking progress 2020
Article
Batteries and hydrogen technology: keys for a clean energy future
Statistics report
Energy Technology RD&D Budgets 2020
Tracking trends in spending on research, development and demonstration
Commentary
How to make the economic recovery from coronavirus an environmentally sustainable one
Commentary
Three reasons why the IEA report on hydrogen is a game-changer
Technology report
The Future of Hydrogen
Seizing today’s opportunities
Tracking report
Tracking Energy Integration 2019
Tracking progress 2019
Events
27 Jun 2019
Presentation: The Future of Hydrogen
14 Jun 2019
The Future of Hydrogen: Seizing Today's Opportunities
11 Feb 2019
IEA Workshop on Hydrogen
12 Dec 2018