Hydrogen is often described as a clean fuel because it does not release carbon dioxide when it’s used, which is one of the main reasons it has become such a big part of net zero plans, with interest growing across industry, transport and power generation. However, new research is highlighting that hydrogen emissions across the supply chain can still contribute to global warming, even though hydrogen is not a greenhouse gas in the same way as carbon dioxide.
This does not mean that it’s “bad” or that it should be written off. Instead, it means the hydrogen sector needs to pay much closer attention to emissions that happen outside of the end use stage. If it’s to deliver real climate benefits, leaks need to be prevented, measured and reduced as the market expands.
Hydrogen Levels in the Atmosphere are Rising
A major study led by scientists working with the Global Carbon Project found that the amount of hydrogen in the atmosphere has been increasing since around 1990. The researchers say human activity is the main reason for this rise, and their work is one of the first big attempts to map where it comes from and where it goes once it is in the air.
This matters because hydrogen use is expected to grow rapidly. Many countries are investing in new hydrogen projects, new pipelines and storage, and new ways to use it in industry and transport. If leaks increase as infrastructure expands, the climate benefits of hydrogen could be smaller than expected.
Why Hydrogen Can Still Warm the Planet
Hydrogen is not a greenhouse gas in the same direct way as carbon dioxide or methane. However, it can still cause warming because it changes how the atmosphere works. The key issue is that it reacts with hydroxyl radicals, often called “OH.” These radicals help break down methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.
If hydrogen is released into the air, it reduces the amount of OH available. That means methane stays in the atmosphere for longer and causes more warming over time. Even small leaks can indirectly make methane’s climate impact worse. This effect has often been overlooked in climate models, which is why scientists are now calling for more focus on hydrogen emissions when planning future energy systems.
When and How Hydrogen Leaks Can Happen
Hydrogen leaks are a practical risk because hydrogen molecules are very small. They can escape through joints, seals and materials more easily than other gases. That makes leakage a bigger concern across the whole hydrogen value chain. Leaks can happen during production, compression, storage or transport. They can also happen when equipment is maintained or when systems are purged or vented. Small losses at many points in the system can add up.
This is not just a climate issue. It is also a cost and efficiency issue. Hydrogen is expensive to produce and handle. If it’s leaking, that means wasted energy, wasted money, and a smaller climate benefit than expected.
Hydrogen Still Has a Role, But Control Measures are Essential
The main message is not that hydrogen should be dropped. Instead, it needs to be used carefully and managed properly. Hydrogen still has strong potential in areas where it is hard to electrify, such as some heavy industrial processes or certain types of transport.
However, the climate upside depends on keeping emissions very low. Reducing hydrogen leaks and reducing methane emissions at the same time are both important if hydrogen is going to deliver the benefits it promises.
Why This Matters For Net Zero Plans
Hydrogen is often promoted as a clean energy option because of what happens when it’s used. However, research reinforces that climate performance depends on the whole system, not just end use. This is significant for net zero plans where hydrogen is expected to deliver emissions reductions in hard-to-electrify sectors, because the climate benefit relies on keeping losses and leaks extremely low across production, storage and transport.
It also sharpens the link between hydrogen and methane. Because hydrogen leaks can extend methane’s lifetime in the atmosphere, rapid hydrogen rollout without strong leak control could weaken some of the warming reductions that net zero pathways assume.
What The Industry is Likely To Do Next
It’s likely that hydrogen emissions will become a bigger part of climate reporting and regulation. Methane has already gone through this shift, moving from being under-measured to becoming a key focus for policy and monitoring. Hydrogen could be heading the same way.
That could mean stronger standards for equipment, better leak detection technology, more testing of materials, and clearer reporting of losses. As projects move from pilot stages to full scale rollout, these controls will become more important.
Hydrogen still has huge potential, but research shows why it needs careful handling. The next stage of hydrogen growth should not only be about building bigger supply chains. It should also be about making those supply chains tight, well-monitored and low-leak.
If hydrogen is going to be trusted as a clean energy solution, the sector will need to treat emissions control as a core part of every project. The evidence on hydrogen’s indirect warming effect is getting stronger, and the industry response now will help shape hydrogen’s long-term role in the energy transition.
