Hydrogen fuel provides energy without producing carbon dioxide emissions during energy conversion, which makes it a promising option for decarbonizing the economy. The U.S. is a major producer of hydrogen, contributing around 10% of the global annual production, but the quantity of emissions produced when hydrogen is harvested depends on the method.
Most of the hydrogen (H2) used for energy is derived from natural gas, a carbon-intensive method of production. However, a new study led by Yale School of the Environment researchers, found that hydrogen derived from biomass (Bio-H2) offers a viable alternative that can provide substantial greenhouse gas mitigation.
The research, published in PNAS, examined both the supply and demand side of hydrogen fuel, methods of production — including water electrolysis — and policy conditions with and without incentives amid a changing federal policy landscape.
“Hydrogen can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it hasn’t been adopted widely across sectors and there’s a missed opportunity there,” said Yuan Yao, associate professor of industrial ecology and sustainable systems, who led the project and is a corresponding author of the study.
Source : yale.edu