Environmental analysts criticise UK government’s blue hydrogen plan, risking net-zero goals.
- Blue hydrogen relies on natural gas, raising carbon emission concerns.
- Carbon Tracker report: UK underestimates LNG emissions, impacting carbon budget.
- Carbon intensity of US LNG could be 150% higher than reported in the UK.
- Analyst Lorenzo Sani endorses green hydrogen as the only low-emission solution.
A cohort of environmental analysts has voiced significant concern over the UK government’s strategy to promote so-called ‘blue’ hydrogen, suggesting it may jeopardise the nation’s net-zero objectives. Despite hydrogen’s potential as a fossil fuel alternative, the production of blue hydrogen, which uses natural gas and carbon capture and storage (CCS), has faced criticism from various quarters due to its environmental implications. The root of their concern lies in the dependency on natural gas for blue hydrogen production, which consequently raises questions about its sustainability and effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions.
The report by the independent non-profit organisation Carbon Tracker highlights a stark reality: the UK government’s policies supporting blue hydrogen and associated gas-power CCS may significantly miscalculate the upstream emissions from liquid natural gas (LNG), potentially derailing their ambition for a net-zero future. Carbon Tracker’s analysis, presented in the report ‘Kind of Blue’, estimates that these projects could consume up to 63% of the UK’s sixth carbon budget. Such findings challenge the perception of blue hydrogen as a viable low-carbon energy solution.
Further complicating the issue, the report cites independent research indicating that the carbon intensity of LNG sourced from the United States could be up to 150% higher than figures reported by the UK’s North Sea Transition Authority. This revelation underscores a broader issue of under-reporting carbon emissions associated with blue hydrogen production, questioning its categorisation as a low-carbon technology.
Lorenzo Sani, an associate analyst with Carbon Tracker and the report’s author, calls for a critical appraisal of the blue hydrogen and gas-CCS initiatives. He argues these projects should not be considered low-carbon solely based on high carbon capture rates unless they also ensure the use of natural gas with minimal upstream emissions. According to Sani, only green hydrogen, derived from renewable electricity, can be genuinely regarded as a low-emission energy source, highlighting the limitations and potential pitfalls of over-reliance on blue hydrogen.
Green hydrogen is endorsed as the truly sustainable path forward, challenging current UK strategies.
