Burning hydrogen is not entirely environmentally benign. While it doesn't produce carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, it can produce nitrogen oxides (NOx) when burned at high temperatures. Additionally, hydrogen can affect atmospheric chemistry, potentially increasing the lifetime of methane and impacting ozone levels.
And while hydrogen production does not generate greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen combustion, like any combustion reaction that heats air to high temperatures, creates harmful pollutants called nitrogen oxides. These are linked to smog, acid rain, and damaging health impacts such as asthma and respiratory infections.
New research has shown that hydrogen increases the lifetime of methane, increases the tropospheric concentration, and decreases the upper stratospheric concentration of ozone, as well as increasing the concentration of water vapour - all of which influence the climate. 11 May 2023
