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A cost comparison of various hourly-reliable and net-zero hydrogen production pathways in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Justin M. Bracci

    (Stanford University
    National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

  • Evan D. Sherwin

    (Stanford University
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Naomi L. Boness

    (Stanford University)

  • Adam R. Brandt

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Hydrogen (H2) as an energy carrier may play a role in various hard-to-abate subsectors, but to maximize emission reductions, supplied hydrogen must be reliable, low-emission, and low-cost. Here, we build a model that enables direct comparison of the cost of producing net-zero, hourly-reliable hydrogen from various pathways. To reach net-zero targets, we assume upstream and residual facility emissions are mitigated using negative emission technologies. For the United States (California, Texas, and New York), model results indicate next-decade hybrid electricity-based solutions are lower cost ($2.02-$2.88/kg) than fossil-based pathways with natural gas leakage greater than 4% ($2.73-$5.94/kg). These results also apply to regions outside of the U.S. with a similar climate and electric grid. However, when omitting the net-zero emission constraint and considering the U.S. regulatory environment, electricity-based production only achieves cost-competitiveness with fossil-based pathways if embodied emissions of electricity inputs are not counted under U.S. Tax Code Section 45V guidance.

Suggested Citation

  • Justin M. Bracci & Evan D. Sherwin & Naomi L. Boness & Adam R. Brandt, 2023. "A cost comparison of various hourly-reliable and net-zero hydrogen production pathways in the United States," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43137-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43137-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeffrey S. Rutherford & Evan D. Sherwin & Arvind P. Ravikumar & Garvin A. Heath & Jacob Englander & Daniel Cooley & David Lyon & Mark Omara & Quinn Langfitt & Adam R. Brandt, 2021. "Closing the methane gap in US oil and natural gas production emissions inventories," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Mingolla & Paolo Gabrielli & Alessandro Manzotti & Matthew J. Robson & Kevin Rouwenhorst & Francesco Ciucci & Giovanni Sansavini & Magdalena M. Klemun & Zhongming Lu, 2024. "Effects of emissions caps on the costs and feasibility of low-carbon hydrogen in the European ammonia industry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, December.

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