Hydrogen
The lightest element and the hidden backbone of refining, ammonia and methanol; almost all of it is still made from gas or coal.
Commodity chemicals · Industrial gases · No. 13
- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- almost 100 Mt a year (2024)
- 12.0 t CO₂e per t
- HS 280410
The world uses almost 100 Mt of hydrogen a year, and less than 1% of it is made without fossil fuels.
Chart: Illustration: Hydrogen
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Most hydrogen comes from reforming natural gas with steam or gasifying coal; in 2024 it used about 290 bcm of gas and 90 Mtce of coal.
Three things to know
- Refining takes 43% of hydrogen and ammonia 33%, so the gas is hidden inside petrol, diesel and fertiliser.
- Grey hydrogen from gas costs about $1-2/kg, while India's first refinery green hydrogen tenders cleared at $4.4-4.6/kg in 2025.
- Announced low-emissions supply for 2030 shrank from 49 Mt to 37 Mt a year between the 2024 and 2025 IEA reviews.
The journey
- 1 Gas or coal290 bcm gas, 90 Mtce coal, 2024
- 2 ReformingMethane and steam turned into syngas
- 3 Shift and purifyCO shifted to CO2; 99.9% pure hydrogen
- 4 Captive useMostly used where made, or piped
- 5 ConversionRefinery fuels, ammonia, methanol and steel