Life-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from hydrogen delivery: A cost-guided analysis

Abstract The cost of hydrogen delivery for transportation accounts for most of the current H2 selling price; delivery also requires substantial amounts of energy. We developed harmonized techno-economic and life-cycle emissions models of current and future H2 production and delivery pathways. Our techno-economic analysis of dispensed H2 costs guided our selection of pathways for the life-cycle analysis. In this paper, we present the results of market expansion scenarios using existing capabilities (for example, those that use H2 from steam methane reforming, chlor-alkali, and natural gas liquid cracker plants), as well as results for future electrolysis plants that use nuclear, solar, and hydroelectric power. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for fuel cell electric vehicles compared to conventional gasoline pathways vary from 40% reduction for fossil-derived H2 to 20-fold for clean H2. Supplemental tables with greenhouse gas emissions data for each step in the H2 pathways enable readers to evaluate additional scenarios.