Cleaner Tech

Green Hydrogen Will Be Far Costlier Than Estimated, Harvard Scientists Find

Transporting and storing the gas are hidden costs that new research finds will make it uncompetitive as a decarbonization solution.

A model of liquid hydrogen storage tank at the H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology in South Korea.

Photographer: TI/Bloomberg

The actual cost of using green hydrogen, touted as a future low-carbon solution, is at risk of being higher than projected, according to a new study. That would limit its utility to effectively replace fossil fuels.

Significant storage and distribution costs — which are often overlooked by most cost estimates — will likely make hydrogen a “prohibitively expensive abatement strategy across many major sectors,” according to a paper by Harvard University researchers published Tuesday.

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