Speaking at an industrial policy conference, Reiche emphasized the need for discussion with the European Commission regarding flexibility in defining “sustainable” hydrogen during this transition She suggested allowing the initial use of “blue hydrogen” – produced from natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS) – or other production methods to quickly populate hydrogen pipelines and subsequently shift towards greener alternatives
Reiche highlighted the current lack of consistent demand as a key challenge Industrial consumers require reliable hydrogen supply before investing in the technology and infrastructure needed for complete conversion She explained that purchasers are primarily motivated by the premium associated with sustainable hydrogen, specifically its ability to meet sustainability requirements and enhance product marketability However, if sustainability standards are excessively stringent, adoption rates could be hampered
Currently, “green” hydrogen is defined as that produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources “Blue” hydrogen and the more polluting “grey” hydrogen, emerge from the splitting of methane or natural gas via steam reforming While grey hydrogen releases CO2 into the atmosphere, blue hydrogen utilizes CCS technology to store the CO2 underground, albeit with residual emissions due to incomplete capture and methane leakage during fuel extraction
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizes CCS as a valuable tool for mitigating emissions in sectors like cement, steel and chemicals However, the IPCC also cautions that relying heavily on future carbon removal technologies could diminish the urgency for immediate emission reductions Furthermore, CCS projects have historically faced challenges related to cost and scalability, falling short of projected capacity targets Ensuring the long-term, leak-proof storage of captured CO2 remains a significant obstacle, as any subsequent release would contribute to global warming
