Hydrogen is Critical For Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors that Create 20% of Energy Related Emissions

Production of hydrogen without carbon emissions could be used in industries to help decarbonize a much larger set of emissions in sectors such as aviation, shipping, heavy trucking, chemicals for fertilizer creation, and steel that today produce 7 Gt of CO2e/year. Modeled emissions reduction pathways obscure the variability and messiness of reality, but it is still useful to identify emissions reduction targets for priority sectors like steel, chemicals, and shipping, which must decrease by close to 15% by 2030 and more than 85% by 2050. While emissions in some sectors increase until 2025, this is a critical period for the build-out of hydrogen supply and infrastructure, so that decreases in emissions can follow.

Chemical sector includes primary production of all chemicals including ammonia and methanol
Source: IEA Net Zero Pathway