Hydrogen in Electricity’s Future

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) describes hydrogen as an “energy carrier,” as it allows the transport of energy that can be later converted to other forms of useful energy. Moreover, due to its high energy content and clean-burning properties, hydrogen is being investigated for its potential to replace or reduce the use of fossil fuels and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Natural gas is currently the fuel most used for electric power generation in the United States, and the DOE’s Energy Information Administration expects it to be the predominant fuel for the production of electricity well into the 2040s. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that when burned to produce electric power, results in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, varying from 42% to 63% of the CO2 emissions of coal. When potential climate impacts are considered by electric utilities, increasing renewable sources of electricity and switching to natural gas generation from coal have been strategies that a number of companies have followed. Total CO2 emissions have increased with increased electricity production from natural gas-fired generation.