Energy system implications of naturally occurring hydrogen

Abstract Previous studies on the use of hydrogen (H 2 ) in the future energy system typically find a limited role for the energy carrier; however, these studies have not accounted for geologic H 2 (gH 2 ), which by some estimates may be abundantly available at low cost. Consequently, hydrogen’s role in the energy system could shift from a minor contributor, deploying mostly in difficult-to-decarbonize sectors, to a much more prominent element of the global energy system. In this paper we examine the role of gH 2 for global energy and industrial systems with different scenarios of future radiative forcing. We find that if favorable conditions exist, where gH 2 is abundant and inexpensive ($1/kg), it could lead to expanded hydrogen deployment in a wide variety of energy applications, with power generation the most notable. However, deployment of gH 2 is also found to be sensitive to its production cost, with its use declining rapidly as its production cost approaches the cost of manufactured hydrogen.