Debunking The Myth: Today’s Industrial Use of Hydrogen Doesn’t Mean It’s A Good Energy Carrier

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Advocates of hydrogen often misleadingly point to its widespread industrial use today as evidence of its potential as a broad energy carrier. This, however, is a clear example of the equivocation fallacy: the term “hydrogen use” is subtly shifted from its real-world role in industry to suggest a broader, more universal energy solution.

This is a companion article to the Cranky Stepdad vs Hydrogen for Energy material. In a similar manner to John Cook’s Skeptical Science, the intent is a rapid and catchy debunk, a second level of detail in the Companion to Cranky Stepdad vs Hydrogen for Energy, and then a fuller article as the third level of detail.

Hydrogen for energy is like trying to use a wrench for a screwdriver job—inefficient and costly.

Currently, nearly all industrial hydrogen is “gray hydrogen,” derived from fossil fuels like natural gas through steam methane reforming. According to Staffell et al. (2019), this form of hydrogen is prevalent due to cost advantages and established infrastructure. However, its production inherently involves significant greenhouse gas emissions, undermining its climate benefits (DOE, 2023).

Moreover, the hydrogen employed today primarily serves as a chemical feedstock rather than a direct energy carrier. Bertuccioli et al. (2014) underline that hydrogen’s industrial roles — such as ammonia synthesis or refining — do not translate easily into broader energy applications. These uses are specialized, localized, and have existing distribution networks, unlike what would be required for a broader hydrogen economy.

Attempting to transition hydrogen into a widespread energy carrier would necessitate building extensive new storage, transport, and distribution networks, incurring substantial costs and efficiency losses. The European Union’s Hydrogen Strategy explicitly acknowledges that hydrogen is significantly less efficient than direct electrification in most scenarios, particularly for heating and transportation (European Union, 2020).

This strategic mismatch illustrates a classic example of the equivocation fallacy: conflating hydrogen’s current specialized industrial usage with suitability as a universal energy solution. As Bertuccioli et al. (2014) emphasize, while water electrolysis could yield low-carbon hydrogen, its economic and energetic costs remain prohibitive compared to direct electrification in most scenarios.

Similarly, IRENA (2022) notes substantial efficiency losses and infrastructure challenges associated with hydrogen production, transport, and storage, reinforcing the argument for electrification as the superior choice for broad energy applications.

In short, equating current industrial hydrogen usage with broad applicability as an energy carrier exemplifies an equivocation fallacy. The reality remains that hydrogen’s industrial applications today — primarily as a fossil-based chemical feedstock — do not justify its broad deployment as an energy carrier, especially when more efficient and cost-effective electrification solutions exist.

References:

• Bertuccioli, L., et al. (2014). Study on development of water electrolysis in the EU.
• European Union. (2020). Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate-Neutral Europe.
• IRENA. (2022). Hydrogen in Industry: Its Role in the Energy Transition.
• Staffell, I., et al. (2019). “The role of hydrogen in energy systems.” Energy Environ. Sci.
• U.S. Department of Energy. (2023). Hydrogen Program Plan.