Hydrogen production

Hydrogen gas is produced by several industrial methods. In 2022 less than 1% of hydrogen production was low-carbon. Fossil fuels are the dominant source of hydrogen, for example by steam reforming of natural gas. Other methods of hydrogen production include biomass gasification and methane pyrolysis. Methane pyrolysis and water electrolysis can use any source of electricity including renewable energy. Underground hydrogen is extracted.

The production of hydrogen plays a key role in any industrialized society, since hydrogen is required for many chemical processes. In 2020, roughly 87 million tons of hydrogen was produced worldwide for various uses, such as oil refining, in the production of ammonia through the Haber process, and in the production of methanol through reduction of carbon monoxide. The global hydrogen generation market was fairly valued at US$155 billion in 2022, and expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.3% from 2023 to 2030.

As of 2022, more than 95% of global hydrogen production is sourced from fossil gas and coal without carbon abatement.^: 1