# Hydrogen: Emissions

The 920 Mt CO2 problem clean hydrogen must solve

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 12.0 t CO2e per t H2 range about 0.5-26 · cradle-to-gate world average; gas SMR about 10-12 including upstream, coal 22-26, electrolysis on renewables under 1 Global emissions per year 920 Mt CO2 per year 2022 · direct CO2 from hydrogen production as reported by IEA; upstream methane adds more

Per t of hydrogen, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: IEA Global Hydrogen Review series (indicative). Global total: IEA Global Hydrogen Review 2023 (indicative).

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 15% Production / process 83% Movement 2%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 1.5-2 t CO2e per t H2 | 15% | methane leaks and energy in gas supply; coal mine methane | highly variable by gas basin | indicative |
| **Production / process** | about 9-10 t CO2 per t H2 (SMR); 20+ (coal) | 83% | carbon in the feedstock released as CO2, plus reformer fuel | about half is a pure CO2 stream; some is used to make urea | IEA (indicative) |
| **Movement** | about 0.1-0.3 t CO2e per t H2 | 2% | compression, pipeline, trucking | most hydrogen is used on site | indicative |
| **Use** | zero CO2 at point of use | – | burned or reacted to water | leaked hydrogen has an indirect warming potential of about 11 over 100 years (Sand et al. 2023, indicative) | indicative |
| **End of life** | not applicable | – | consumed in products | not applicable | not applicable |

#### Other environmental impacts

Water use of 9 t per t H2 or more for electrolysis matters in dry regions. Coal gasification produces slag and sulphur. Leaks raise methane lifetime in the air.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Carbon capture on SMR or ATR (blue), cutting process CO2 by 60-95% at about $0.5-1/kg extra (indicative)
- Electrolysis on renewable power, under 2 kg CO2e/kg H2 under India's standard
- Replace grey hydrogen in existing refineries and ammonia plants first: IEA expects >2 Mt a year of such use by 2030 from committed projects
- Cut upstream methane leaks from gas supply
- Use Chinese electrolysers at $600-1,200/kW to lower capex (IEA 2024)

#### India

India's roughly 6 Mt of grey hydrogen emits about 60-70 Mt CO2 a year (indicative, basis: about 10-12 t CO2 per t H2). The Mission targets 5 Mt a year of green hydrogen by 2030 and has awarded refinery and green ammonia tenders.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Green hydrogen (renewable electrolysis)** | under 1-2 t CO2e per t H2 | about $2.4/kg over grey in India (2025) | 2 GW installed worldwide (2024); IOCL Panipat 10 kt a year; NEOM about 2.2 GW | IEA GHR 2025; JMK Research (2025) |
| **Blue hydrogen (ATR with CCS)** | about 1-4 t CO2e per t H2 depending on capture rate and methane leakage (indicative) | about $0.5-1/kg (indicative) | CF/JERA/Mitsui Blue Point (Louisiana) for ammonia; civil construction from 2026 | CF Industries 2025 results; indicative |

 For a climate investor The first real market for green hydrogen is replacing grey hydrogen inside existing refineries and fertiliser plants, where the offtaker and the pipe already exist. India's tenders show $4.4-4.6/kg is achievable with cheap solar and wind; parity with grey needs about $2/kg, which depends on electrolyser cost, high power capacity factors and low-cost capital. Builders include L&T Green, ACME, Ocior Energy, NTPC Green, AM Green and Reliance in India, and Air Products and ACWA Power at NEOM.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrogen/links/index.md)