Locally produced green hydrogen delivers the greatest climate benefit for heavy duty road transport according to new international research examining the full lifecycle of hydrogen fuel.
A study by Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology has found that replacing diesel with hydrogen in heavy-duty trucks can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions but only if the hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity and supplied locally.
The research, published in iScience, assessed hydrogen’s entire value chain, from production and distribution through to vehicle use. It concluded that so-called green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using renewable energy, consistently outperforms other hydrogen pathways on emissions.
“Hydrogen does not produce carbon dioxide when used in fuel cells, but we need to make sure we do not shift emissions from one part of the life cycle to another,” said lead author Jorge Enrique Velandia Vargas.
The study also raised concerns about blue hydrogen, which is derived from natural gas with carbon capture and storage. While often promoted as a low-emissions solution, researchers found that incomplete CO₂ capture and methane leakage across the supply chain can significantly erode its climate benefits.
“In theory, the production of blue hydrogen is climate neutral, but in reality it is not,” said Associate Professor Maria Grahn from Chalmers University. “Methane leakage is particularly problematic because it has around 30 times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide.”
Another key finding was that hydrogen is best produced close to where it is used. Transporting hydrogen over long distances requires energy-intensive compression or liquefaction, reducing overall efficiency and increasing emissions.
“Hydrogen is the lightest of all the elements and does not ‘like’ to be transported,” said Vargas.
While the study was based on Swedish conditions, the researchers said its conclusions are broadly applicable including to countries such as Australia as governments and industry assess hydrogen’s role in future freight transport.
With hydrogen trucks under development globally and pilot projects already underway, the research adds weight to calls for careful planning around hydrogen infrastructure, production methods and fuel supply chains as the heavy vehicle sector works toward decarbonisation.
In other news, the supply chain that services the Port of Fremantle faces significant disruption.
