COP29: Strict emission requirements will ensure balanced hydrogen development

SINTEF is participating at COP as an independent observer, committed to advancing sustainable climate and energy solutions. To support this goal, we are providing advice to climate negotiators on 15 key areas with the potential to significantly reduce emissions.

• SINTEF’s  advice for COP29: Technology for a Faster Global Climate Transition

Recommendations for a balanced hydrogen development

• Reflect the true cost of emission in measures to hinder and encourage less emissions of greenhouse gases. At the same time increase support for zero emission technology development and scaling up.
• Establish global standards that ensure a uniform assessment of hydrogen on the basis of a transparent life-cycle assessment (LCA), with respect to their climate footprint.
• Incentivise use of the best technology available for producing and distributing natural gas in order to reduce and eliminate methane emissions, thereby ensure that producing low-carbon hydrogen has the lowest possible climate footprint.
• Remove regulatory barriers and create markets for hydrogen and hydrogen carriers as zero-emission solutions.
• Build good relations between states that support the rapid introduction of hydrogen. Enter into long-term bilateral agreements for hydrogen exports, connected to R&D efforts to ensure knowledge transfers and cooperation on a technology-neutral basis, with a focus on price, availability and greenhouse gas footprint.
• Support research and innovation for:
  • Improved processes for electrolysis and low-carbon production of hydrogen.
  • Hydrogen transport, storage and end use, particularly in industrial applications, maritime use, grid balancing and mobility.
  • Safety along the entire value chain, including the climate effects of hydrogen leaks.

Problem

Hydrogen is a necessary part of the energy transition to achieve net zero by mid-century. Hydrogen can be produced from electricity via water electrolysis or natural gas via reforming. Since natural gas contains carbon, the CO₂ formed during the reforming process must be removed and stored in order for the hydrogen to be called clean. If renewable energy is used for the electrolysis process, the hydrogen is, in principle, emissions free.

Currently, almost all hydrogen is produced from natural gas, oil or coal without CO₂ capture and storage (CCS). This results in the emissions of nearly 1 billion tonnes of CO₂ globally. This cannot continue; we must cut the emissions from hydrogen production while significantly increasing the production volume from 80-90 million to 400-500 million tonnes annually by 2050 to reach the targets of the Paris agreement.

Hydrogen is mainly used in industrial processes, such as producing ammonia, fertilisers and petrochemicals. Hydrogen is mostly used where it is produced because it is a demanding substance to transport and store. Future use will include new industrial processes, such as the production of steel, glass, aluminium and metal alloys, as well as fuel in energy-intensive sectors, such as the maritime sector, long-haul transport and possibly aviation. Hydrogen can also store energy in large amounts and over prolonged time thus being an important part in a sustainable energy system based on renewable sources.

Liquefaction of hydrogen to LH₂ increases the storage density, and facilitates long-distance transport. Norway has significant activity and expertise in industry and academia in hydrogen production in industries where hydrogen will lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen can also be used to produce ammonia or combined with the captured CO₂ to create synthetic fuels. These processes are energy intensive, can offer a solution in hard to abate type of activities (long haul flights, deep sea shipping) but must show net emission benefits as all other low emission technologies and solutions.

Full electrification of the power system and hydrogen production for decarbonising industry and transport has to accelerate. Direct electrification based on renewables is usually the most effective way in removing emissions from the use of energy. However, sometimes you will need molecules instead of electrons to transfer to zero emissions. High temperature heat, replacing reduction agents in metallurgical processes or making fertilisers will need hydrogen. Bothe renewable and low carbon hydrogen will be needed. Low-carbon hydrogen (blue hydrogen) can play an important role in developing required infrastructure, as low carbon hydrogen will predominantly be produced in large scale operations. But in the long term, all hydrogen should be produced from renewable sources (green hydrogen). Recent market developments suggest a path forward to go from green – to blue – to green. Large-scale low-carbon hydrogen production is taking a longer time than thought a few years ago, due to a lack of sufficient demand for high volumes and higher prices than buying hydrogen produced from natural gas without CCS. Smaller, yet sizeable green hydrogen production will pave the road for acceptance, driving down cost and technology development at the end user side to prepare for greater use of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers in the future.

Solution

Maintaining strict requirements on the emission intensity (LCA based) of hydrogen produced from both electricity and natural gas will enable the acceleration of a balanced development together with new renewable production. This can create solutions that are environmentally friendly, while simultaneously establishing the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen production and distribution, which will eventually be exclusively based on renewable sources. It may take 20-30 years to complete this transition, but accelerating development can realise the hydrogen economy much quicker. This requires early investments in entire value chains, with a focus on what can contribute to scaling up of renewable and low carbon hydrogen. In addition, support schemes must be in place to drive technology development and ensure a gradual increase in production capacity. Hydrogen produced from renewables will be introduced through distributed and relatively smaller volumes than the volumes produced by low-carbon hydrogen. In the scale-up phase, it will be possible to take advantage of the large volumes of low-carbon hydrogen and gradually phase in more and more renewable hydrogen according to the renewable power available.

Main COP29 recommendation: International research communities and industrial partners are developing technologies to reduce emissions and advance the energy transition, and we strongly recommend establishing a global North-South R&D program with open, competitive calls to ensure a fair, accelerated path to a sustainable economy.