Issue 17, 2022

Impact of fuel cells on hydrogen energy pathways in a sustainable energy economy

Abstract

The drive to decarbonise the electricity and transport industries when transitioning from a fossil fuel economy to a hydrogen economy requires careful consideration of techno-environmental implications. National and regional strategies for adopting hydrogen energy highlight an overarching objective to use hydrogen for electrification that requires a concomitant transition to fuel cell technologies. We therefore examine the impact of emergent fuel cell technologies on the sustainability of various hydrogen energy pathways. Using a technology neutral framework, we show that hydrogen derived from fossil fuels for use in fuel cells (i.e., blue hydrogen), is techno-environmentally unviable in a future economy. We propose that a narrative focused on a sustainable energy economy, rather than a hydrogen economy, shifts the debate to meet the requirements of national and regional strategies with key implications for the energy industry and policy maker.

Graphical abstract: Impact of fuel cells on hydrogen energy pathways in a sustainable energy economy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 iyl 2022
Accepted
16 iyl 2022
First published
21 iyl 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2022,6, 4008-4023

Impact of fuel cells on hydrogen energy pathways in a sustainable energy economy

J. G. Love, A. P. O'Mullane, F. A. Boulaire and I. D. R. Mackinnon, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2022, 6, 4008 DOI: 10.1039/D2SE00923D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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