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07
June 2023
By
CICERO
New study estimates global warming potential of
hydrogen
Changes in the radiative forcing due to 1 Tg flux of hydrogen. The
main changes in the radiative forcing due to 1 Tg flux of hydrogen;
methane (green bars), ozone (yellow), stratospheric water vapor
(purple), and aerosols (red). Credit: Communications Earth &
Environment (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-00857-8
The global warming effect of leaked hydrogen is almost 12 times
stronger than CO2, shows a new study by CICERO, a climate research
center, published in Communications Earth & Environment.
The study fills a gap in our knowledge about the climate
effects of hydrogen, a central technology in the energy transition.
Unlike exhaust from burning coal and gas that contains CO2,
burning hydrogen emits only water vapor and oxygen. Rather, it is the
leaking of hydrogen from production, transportation and usage that
adds to global warming.
Hydrogen is not a greenhouse gas, but its chemical reactions in
the atmosphere affect greenhouse gases like methane, ozone, and
stratospheric water vapor. In this way, emissions of hydrogen can
cause global warming, despite its lack of direct radiative properties.
The study was led by Dr. Maria Sand, a senior scientist at
CICERO, and her colleagues with collaborators from the U.K., France
and the U.S.
"The climate effects of hydrogen have been an under-researched
topic. However, a few papers based on single model studies confirm our
estimated global warming potential (GWP100) of 11.6," said Sand.
"We used five different atmospheric chemistry models and
investigated changes in atmospheric methane, ozone and stratospheric
water vapor," said Sand.
"Hydrogen interacts with various biogeochemical processes. In
our estimates, we have included soil uptake, photochemical production
of hydrogen, the lifetimes of hydrogen and methane, and the
interactions between hydrogen and methane," said Sand.
The study is the most comprehensive assessment of the climate
effect of hydrogen to date, thanks to the advanced and novel use of
existing climate models.
"We have assessed the uncertainties, and our study forms a
robust foundation for political decision-making on hydrogen," said
Sand.
"A global warming potential of 11.6 is significant, and our
study clearly shows the importance of reducing hydrogen leaks. We lack
the technology to monitor and detect hydrogen leaks at the scale
needed, but new technology is being developed as the industry adapts,"
said Sand.
The potential benefit of switching to a hydrogen economy will
depend on the magnitude of hydrogen leakages and to what extent
hydrogen replaces fossil fuels.
"There are still many open questions, and our group will
continue to expand our knowledge to ensure timely and accurate
decision-making on a key mitigation technology," said Sand.
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