Paper Summary
A recent report commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in the UK considers the possible implications of fugitive hydrogen (H2) emissions from an illustrative future scenario where widespread use of H2 has been adopted globally. In this scenario, they assumed that set percentages of the final energy consumption in specified energy sectors, currently supplied by fossil fuel, switch to H2. The scenarios modelled for different amounts of fugitive H2 leakage indicate that H2 will affect the concentration of methane, ozone, and water vapor in the atmosphere. The changes in methane and ozone are driven by changes in the hydroxyl radical, OH, which is the major atmospheric oxidant and a key player in the chemistry of the atmosphere. Modelled changes in radiative forcing, like the modelled changes in atmospheric composition, indicate that, to maximize the climate and air quality benefit of a transition to a hydrogen-powered economy, minimization of both fugitive hydrogen leakage and a reduction of the ancillary emissions of, for example, CO, NOx, and VOCs is required. Our commitment at PGS as such climate modeling developments arise is steadfast to reduce relative CO2 emissions (t CO2 per CMP km) from fleet activities by 50% compared to 2011 within 2030. Findings such as those discussed here potentially add an additional dimension to the already complex regulatory landscape within which CO2 emissions reduction targets are being established, but also reinforce the value of digitalizing fleet operations and being able to transparently measure and report emissions.