Hope Valley Climate Action hosted an online talk by Professor Michael Corcoran examining the role of hydrogen in decarbonisation, with particular reference to UK policy debates and implications for the East Midlands. (Video link to recording below)
The presentation drew on work undertaken for the EMCCA Climate Coalition Energy Sub-Group. It addressed the growing gap between claims made for hydrogen and the physical, economic, and system realities that constrain its use.
The talk explored why hydrogen continues to attract strong political and industrial interest, while also being widely misapplied in public discourse. A central theme was the importance of distinguishing between sectors where hydrogen may be genuinely necessary and those where its use would be inefficient or counterproductive.
Key points included:
- Hydrogen hype versus reality:
Hydrogen is often promoted as a universal solution, but its production, storage, and use involve significant energy losses. These losses make it unsuitable for many applications where direct electrification is available.
- Where hydrogen does make sense:
Hydrogen has a legitimate role in a limited number of “hard-to-electrify” sectors, particularly high-temperature industrial processes (such as steel, glass, and cement), certain chemical feedstocks, and possibly some niche roles in aviation, shipping, and long-duration energy storage.
- Where hydrogen does not make sense:
The talk highlighted strong evidence that hydrogen is not a sensible option for:
- Heating of buildings (domestic or non-domestic), where heat pumps are far more efficient
- Cars and vans, where battery electric vehicles are already dominant
- Most road freight
- Blending into the gas grid, which delivers only marginal emissions reductions at high cost
- Aviation:
Hydrogen faces severe challenges in aviation due to low volumetric energy density and the need for large cryogenic tanks. While hydrogen aircraft may be feasible for very short-range flights, the likely decarbonisation pathway for most aviation is through demand reduction, efficiency improvements, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
- Regional context (East Midlands):
The talk considered the implications for the East Midlands, including East Midlands Airport and the Peak Cluster of cement and lime works. It was noted that there are currently no realistic proposals for hydrogen pipeline expansion into much of the region, and that decarbonisation will be dominated by electrification rather than hydrogen.
Key messages
- Green hydrogen will be scarce and expensive for the foreseeable future.
- Hydrogen should be reserved for applications where no better alternative exists.
- Electrification is the backbone of most credible decarbonisation pathways.
- Policy decisions should be guided by evidence and system efficiency, not by hype.
Discussion
The Q&A session covered topics including hydrogen storage, aviation fuels, building heat, industrial decarbonisation, and the risks of over-reliance on hydrogen in regional planning. The discussion was wide-ranging and constructive, with strong engagement from participants.
Professor Corcoran concluded by emphasising the importance of clear thinking and honest physics in climate policy, and the need for regional authorities such as EMCCA to focus on “no-regrets” actions that deliver real emissions reductions.
