Page 7 - NorthAmOil Week 39 2021

NorthAmOil COMMENTARY NorthAmOil

gas (GHG) footprint of no more than 2-4 kg of implications of such measures be fully under-
CO2 equivalent per kg. This gives it the same stood,” it stated. “This means emission moni-
climate footprint as green hydrogen. toring, verification and reporting is required for
The study noted that emissions rates as low emissions across the life cycle.”
as 0.3-0.4% had been measured for US shale The study called for improved public disclo-
gas, and that several other countries, including sure of these emissions, as well as emissions
Norway, the UK and the Netherlands, had rates pricing, public funding for GHG performance,
typically below 0.5%. Furthermore, it said that and regulation to incentivise the industry to
current carbon capture technology could “allow produce as clean hydrogen as possible.
removal rates at the hydrogen plant of above “As European gas extraction has strongly
90%,” adding that rates of “close to 100% are declined over the last decades, with no trend
technically feasible, slightly decreasing energy reversal in sight, importing gas from countries
efficiencies and increasing costs, but have yet to with good monitoring practices and low meth-
be demonstrated at scale.” ane emission rates should be prioritised from a
“Our main conclusion is that, if the above European perspective,” the study said. “From
requirements are met, blue hydrogen can be a US perspective, and for other countries with
close to green hydrogen in terms of impacts on primarily domestic supplies, best practices
climate change and can thus play an important regarding minimising methane emissions from
and complementary role in the transformation the entire natural gas sector must be ensured.” The study
towards net-zero economies,” the study stated. The study continued by saying that blue
“It is important to reiterate that no single hydro- hydrogen had a role to play in decarbonising concluded that
gen production technology, including electrol- energy systems in the nearer term, given the policymakers
ysis with renewables, is completely net-zero in current scarcity and comparatively high cost of
terms of GHG emissions over its life cycle and green hydrogen. should consider
will therefore need additional GHG removal “Blue hydrogen can play a role as a bridging
from the atmosphere to comply with strict net- technology supporting the uptake of hydrogen life-cycle
zero targets.” infrastructure and end-use transformation,”
It added that biomass-based hydrogen pro- the study explained. “Blue hydrogen projects emissions to
duction was the exception, as it can actually can be developed under the recommendations judge how clean
lead to net negative emissions under some presented here without crowding out the global
circumstances, although there are limits to its ramp-up of green hydrogen supply.” hydrogen is.
availability. “As both blue and green hydrogen have
innovation potential,” it continued, “policies
Policymakers and regulations should support both options
The study concluded that policymakers should independently until they are fairly mature and
consider life-cycle emissions to judge how clean can compete (e.g. based on carbon pricing
hydrogen is, whether that is the life-cycle emis- accounting for full life cycle GHG) – provided
sions from the electricity used to power electrol- the above conditions for blue hydrogen are met
ysis, or the natural gas supply chain. and the necessary prioritisation of demand
“Only in this way can the whole system areas is reflected.”™

Week 39 30•September•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P7