Lobbying Boss Exposes Blue Hydrogen Greenwashing Reality
It is clear that we stand on the precipice of an epoch-defining choice as a species, with two paths before us; one which leads to lower emissions that will save the lives of millions and sustain vulnerable ecosystems, and another which sees us locked into a spiral of ever-worsening climate destruction.
While we already have all the knowledge and tools at hand to tackle the Climate Crisis – namely lowering emissions on a vast scale – we are repeatedly sold the promise that new, emerging and as-yet unfeasible technologies will save us.
A chief technology touted as a cure-all for meeting our growing energy demands while lowering carbon emissions is hydrogen. It’s a topic we’ve written about previously in the context of its use as a fuel source in transport, and why EVs will always be significantly more efficient.
Yet recent events have reiterated the hydrogen is not the sustainable solution that many have claimed it to be, shining a much-needed spotlight on the greenwashing around this fuel source.
Betraying Future Generations
Greenwashing always relies on there being a small kernel of truth at the centre for the lie to be built around, and hydrogen is a great example of this.
If produced by renewable energy, hydrogen could be a fantastic technology that would provide much-needed energy security while also lowering emissions by replacing power stations run on fossil fuels. This form is known as ‘green hydrogen’
The only issue is that the vast majority of hydrogen – as much as 98% of it – is produced using fossil fuels. This form is known as ‘blue hydrogen’
While this isn’t news – it’s been the way that the hydrogen industry, which is vastly backed by major oil companies, has been doing things for years.
What has changed, however, is that a prominent advocate for hydrogen has recently spoken out publicly about the truth about hydrogen production.
Earlier this month Chris Jackson quit his role as the Chair of a leading UK hydrogen lobbying association, citing concerns about the ethics of the industry and the production of blue hydrogen:
“The Treasury has been told that blue hydrogen is cheap and will take millions of tonnes of carbon emissions out of the economy, which is all they need to hear. It checks all the boxes they’re worrying about.”
Investment in hydrogen technology has been minimal compared to other areas - exposing its role as an enabler for increased fossil fuel use. Credit: BloombergNEF
“I believe passionately that I would be betraying future generations by remaining silent on that fact that blue hydrogen is at best an expensive distraction, and at worst a lock-in for continued fossil fuel use that guarantees we will fail to meet our decarbonisation goals.”
“If the false claims made by oil companies about the cost of blue hydrogen were true, their projects would make a profit by 2030, after starting up in 2027 or 2028, because carbon prices are forecast to rise to £80 a tonne”
“Instead, they’re asking taxpayers for billions in subsidies for the next 25 years. They should tell the government they don’t need it. The fact that they don’t tell you everything you need to know.”
“They’re desperate to find something to put their hat on. It’s been easy for big energy companies to make the case for blue hydrogen, but we need to show that there is another way. We need to be better at that.”
“I believe passionately that I would be betraying future generations by remaining silent on that fact that blue hydrogen is at best an expensive distraction, and at worst a lock-in for continued fossil fuel use that guarantees we will fail to meet our decarbonisation goals.”
We need to cut emissions dramatically and quickly if we are to meet the climate targets set out by the IPCC. Credit: UN IPCC
Separating Fact From Fiction
Jackson’s resignation came just weeks after a report from Cornell and Stanford universities – How green is blue hydrogen? – which concluded that the greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen is more than 20% greater than burning natural gas or coal for heat – and 60% greater than burning diesel oil for heat.
This is compounded by a report from The Guardian this week, which found that opting for hydrogen made from fossil fuels rather than renewable energy would likely result in up to 8 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year by 2050 – equivalent to 1 million new petrol cars being on the road.
Ultimately the promise of hydrogen as a cure-all for our energy needs is being sold to us by the very same companies who have produced the largest amount of carbon emissions in human history. It is a way for Big Oil to maintain profits while appearing to be green – it is the very definition of greenwashing.
While we might live in hope that green hydrogen is viable on a vast scale, this willingness to believe in technology also exposes the heart of the issue we face: there is no work-around for the Climate Crisis, no easy solution other than cutting emissions dramatically in the few short years we have left to make it count.
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