Hydrogen is essential to decarbonizing key parts of the economy. While “green” hydrogen could dominate in the long term, “blue” hydrogen can reduce emissions quickly in the near-term – if policy-makers reward appropriate performance.
Estimates of the greenhouse gas impact of “blue” hydrogen span a wide spectrum, primarily driven by assumptions about methane leak rates in the upstream natural gas supply chain and the efficiency of reformers in the production process (particularly the carbon capture portion of those processes). While some recent estimates of these impacts have been quite high, a much lower greenhouse gas footprint for “blue” hydrogen is feasible. We know this because measurements indicate that some gas fields in the U.S. have leak rates as low as 0.3%-0.4% – far lower than the current leak rate (probably in excess of 2%). And we know how strong regulations, based upon established state precedents, can drive much of the needed reductions. Reducing emissions from the natural gas value chain is not just feasible, it’s also politically popular.