A new publication from IEAGHG questions the prevailing view that coal, beyond just its unabated form, is incompatible with a low-carbon future.

The paper is entitled “Rethinking Coal’s Role in Low-Carbon Hydrogen” and  draws on research from the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon (ICSC) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to analyse the evolving role of carbon capture and storage (CCS)-abated coal in the production of low-carbon hydrogen.

Both studies acknowledge that renewable hydrogen is the preferred long-term objective in a net zero energy system and that it’s expected to outcompete fossil-based options in most markets.

Based on arguments including cost competitiveness, land and water requirements, and that cogasifying coal with sustainably sourced biomass with CCS presents a scalable pathway for producing net zero or even negative emission hydrogen, the studies conclude that coal-based hydrogen with CCS can serve an essential bridge to support growing demand and enable the development of international hydrogen trade routes.

Download the paper here.