Beyond green hydrogen production: Ground transport within Europe, the hidden environmental impacts

As Europe accelerates its transition to low-carbon energy, renewable hydrogen is expected to play a key role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industrial sectors. While the environmental impacts of hydrogen production via electrolysis are starting to be well understood, those of its storage and transport remain poorly determined. Yet, they are crucial to overall sustainability. This study presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of six land-based delivery pathways across Europe for green hydrogen produced via Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis powered by wind energy. The scenarios differ in storage and transport methods—compressed gas (by truck or pipeline), liquefied hydrogen, and three chemical vectors (dibenzyltoluene, ammonia and methanol) transported by truck. While the production phase of green hydrogen shows a low Global Warming (GW) impact, the delivery stages are far from negligible, leading in certain cases to an overall GW impact exceeding that of domestically produced blue or grey hydrogen. These findings are amplified by taking into account hydrogen leaks across the supply chain and their Global Warming Potential. However, results demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all hydrogen delivery solution; optimal pathways depend on supply chain parameters, mainly distance and hydrogen demand. Pipeline transport emerges as the most environmentally efficient option for large-scale long-distance hydrogen transportation, whereas compressed gas hydrogen by truck is better suited for small-scale local delivery. Alternative delivery options, such as hydrogen liquefaction or conversion into chemical carriers with higher energy density, can lower transport-related emissions. These advantages often come with environmental trade-offs, as additional conversion steps shift part of the burden to other life-cycle stages and to other impact categories beyond GW, such as acidification and eutrophication. This study highlights the importance of integrating delivery considerations into hydrogen deployment strategies and policies. Finally, while the focus is on intra-European exchanges and ground transport, future work must investigate international hydrogen trade and maritime transport, along with their broader environmental and geopolitical implications. • There is no universally optimal H 2 storage and ground-transportation option. • H 2 delivery environmental performance depends on supply chain parameters. • Land-based green H 2 imports may emit more than domestic blue or grey H 2 production. • EU H 2 policies overlook H 2 leakage and transport impacts, leaving a regulatory gap.