Energy Exchange

By Ilissa Ocko, Senior Climate Scientist, Spark Climate Solutions; and Sofia Esquivel Elizondo, Low Carbon Energy Scientist, EDF

It’s no secret that there are big ambitions for hydrogen as a climate solution. Many champions of proposed hydrogen infrastructure argue that it’s a viable swap to move hydrogen through vast networks of existing natural gas systems. But although there are possibilities to reuse some of the existing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen, these roles are limited by safety and energetic considerations to a small fraction of the current energy we derive from fossil natural gas; and there are serious engineering concerns around repurposing a system that wasn’t designed for hydrogen.

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by Ritesh Gautam and James Williams

Efforts to locate, measure and reduce the planet-warming methane emissions from global oil and gas operations often focus on large, concentrated sources. But a growing body of research suggests that by not tracking smaller, dispersed sources, regulators, operators and scientists are missing a significant share of the emissions problem.

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With COP29​ just around the corner, the reality of how far we still have ​to go to meet global climate goals is coming into focus​​. ​​​​A new United Nations (UN) Climate Change report finds “current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed”. Similarly, the UN Environment Programme reports that national pledges would only reduce emissions 4-10% below 2019 levels by 2030.

Yet, hydrogen is one of the climate opportunities that governments, industry and investors are excited about. Hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, as well as more than 50 national hydrogen strategies and roadmaps, have been put on the table to develop it. And the COP29 Presidency is focusing on putting those plans into action, with a new declaration that lays out what is required to address regulatory, technological, financing and standardization barriers to market acceleration.

Notably this includes a call for actions to ensure hydrogen deployment achieves maximum climate benefits. This is the crucial point if we want to avoid hydrogen becoming just another failed climate strategy. Whether labeled zero emission or low carbon, hydrogen is not ​a silver​​​ bullet: Poorly deployed, it can produce limited climate benefits, or even be worse for the climate in the near term (20 years from now) than the fossil systems it is slated to replace. This is because hydrogen is highly energy intensive to produce, and its production, management and use can trigger climate-warming emissions​.

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Image credit: © European Union, 2024

By Anna Lóránt and Léa Pilsner

The EU is finalising its Delegated Act on Low Carbon Fuels, a critical piece of its hydrogen policy. This is more than just a low-stakes technical step. If done right, it could significantly advance the EU’s decarbonisation agenda, showing the ‘Green Deal in action’. The details matter because this act will lay the foundation for Europe’s hydrogen industry and shape how effectively the EU meets its climate goals.

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Post-closure liability management may be a rather obscure part of the burgeoning carbon capture and sequestration , or CCS, industry. But more and more lawmakers and regulators in U.S. states and around the world recognize it’s an important piece of their climate change agenda.

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By Marie Cabbia Hubatova and Angie Farrag-Thibault

At a time when it is critical to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels, the shipping industry is endeavoring to do its part to decarbonize and keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Its success depends on there being sufficient clean fuel supply to substitute fossil fuels — but we are not on track. We need robust near-term decisions at the International Maritime Organization and in member states to bring investment security to steer the industry transition onto course.

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