The potential role of hydrogen in energy systems with and without climate policy

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 32; no. 12; pp. 1655 - 1672
• Main Authors: van Ruijven, Bas, van Vuuren, Detlef P., de Vries, Bert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Climate policy; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Hydrogen; Hydrogen economy; Long-term scenarios; Climate policy; Long-term scenarios; Hydrogen economy; Air pollution control; Perspective; Hydrogen; Coal; Carbon dioxide; CO2 sequestration; Energy policy; Natural gas; Hydrogen production
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2006.08.036

Introduction of hydrogen in global energy system can lead to lower CO 2 emissions (high end-use efficiency; low-carbon production of hydrogen) but might also increase CO 2 emissions (producing hydrogen from coal). We used the long-term energy model TIMER 2.0, to study the use and production of hydrogen and its influence on global CO 2 emissions. This is done using a set of scenarios with assumptions on technology development, infrastructural barriers and climate policy (CP). We found that even under optimistic assumptions hydrogen plays a minor role in the global energy system until the mid-21st century due to the system inertia—but could become a dominant secondary energy carrier in the second half of the century. Hydrogen is mainly produced from coal and natural gas. Hence, hydrogen-rich scenarios without climate policy increase CO 2 emissions up to 15% by 2100 compared to the baseline. However, if climate policy is assumed, CO 2 from fossil feedstock-based hydrogen production is captured and sequestrated, which indicates that an energy system that includes hydrogen is much more flexible in responding to climate policy.