Life-cycle assessment of low-carbon hydrogen pathways for decarbonizing industrial energy demand: Industrial clusters in Hebei Province

Hydrogen is increasingly promoted as a strategic vector for decarbonizing industrial energy demand, yet environmental outcomes depend strongly on production pathways and regional context. This article applies a life cycle assessment framework to low-carbon hydrogen options supplying steel, cement and chemical clusters in Hebei Province in northern China. The analysis compares hydrogen from grid-connected electrolysis with a progressively decarbonized power mix, natural gas reforming with carbon dioxide capture, coal gasification with carbon dioxide capture and biomass gasification with carbon capture and storage. System boundaries cover upstream resource extraction, plant construction, operation, transport and end-use combustion or process use. Results indicate substantial variation in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, with the best performing pathways approaching, but not necessarily reaching, near-zero emission levels. Trade-offs emerge between climate performance, air pollutant co-benefits and infrastructure requirements. The findings inform regional industrial decarbonization strategies and highlight priority areas for technology improvement and policy support.