Study Finds Hydrogen Emissions Have Small but Measurable Warming Effect

Study Finds Hydrogen Emissions Have Small but Measurable Warming Effect
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Hydrogen, widely promoted as a clean alternative to fossil fuels, may be contributing modestly to global warming, according to new research published in the journal Nature. While hydrogen does not directly pollute the atmosphere, the study suggests it can indirectly amplify climate change by extending the lifespan of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Researchers found that global hydrogen emissions increased between 1990 and 2020, contributing an estimated 0.02 degrees Celsius to the nearly 1.5 degrees Celsius rise in average global temperatures since the pre-industrial era. The analysis was conducted by the Global Carbon Project, an international consortium of scientists, which concluded that most of the increase in hydrogen emissions is linked to human activity.

Hydrogen interacts with atmospheric compounds known as natural “detergents,” which normally help break down methane. Higher hydrogen levels reduce the availability of these compounds, allowing methane to remain in the atmosphere longer and intensify its warming effect. Methane itself also produces hydrogen as it degrades, further linking the two gases.

The study also points to industrial sources, including leaks from hydrogen production, as contributors to rising atmospheric levels. Although green hydrogen produced using renewable energy is seen as a long-term climate solution, most hydrogen today is still generated from fossil fuels, a process associated with significant carbon emissions. Researchers say a better understanding of hydrogen’s role in the climate system is essential as investment in the sector grows.