A comparative life cycle assessment of hydrogen production in British Columbia
2021
Holtz, Alisa
Hydrogen can play a key role in decarbonizing energy systems and the transition to a low carbon economy. While scaling up hydrogen production plays a critical role in initiating a hydrogen economy, it is also important to quantify the environmental impacts to determine what pathways will adequately contribute to emission reduction goals. To assess these impacts, a comparative well-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to determine the carbon intensity of three hydrogen production pathways in British Columbia (B.C.) using the GHGenius 4.03a software model. The hydrogen production pathways reviewed include steam methane reformation (SMR), SMR with carbon capture and storage, and electrolysis using the B.C. grid electricity mix. The LCA results were 82.75, 26.07, and 24.42 g CO2e/MJ HHV respectively. Additional objectives of this study include identifying barriers and recommending policies to increase production of low carbon hydrogen in B.C., and defining a carbon intensity benchmark.
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