Blue hydrogen could equal millions of cars by 2050

Last week, the UK government announced its wide-ranging plans for a hydrogen economy – but there will still be a climate impact.

Opting for so-called ‘blue hydrogen,’ which is derived from fossil fuels, rather than ‘green hydrogen’ from renewable sources could create up to 8 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year by 2050. That’s according to an analysis of government data by Friends of the Earth Scotland published in the Guardian, which found using blue hydrogen would create the equivalent emissions of more than a million petrol cars.

Blue hydrogen is made from natural gas, and relies on carbon capture technology to trap CO2 emitted during the process. But up to 15% of the emissions sneak through – and carbon is also emitted when the gas is initially extracted.

That means that using blue hydrogen instead of gas would still result in between six and eight million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year from the late 2020s, and by 2050 the emissions would be the equivalent of 1.5 million cars on the road.

The government’s hydrogen strategy espoused a “twin track” approach, but did not set out a balance between blue and green hydrogen for the future. In the past, the Committee on Climate Change has supported the idea of a “blue hydrogen bridge” through the 2030s that would allow the UK to prepare for a longer-term switch to green hydrogen. 

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