Ne tombons pas dans le piège de l'hydrogène

The document critiques the global hydrogen industry, asserting that most production relies on fossil fuels and that even 'green' hydrogen is inefficient and risks perpetuating neocolonial extractivism. It argues that hydrogen serves as a distraction from necessary climate action and a tool for the gas industry to justify new infrastructure. The author calls for the elimination of fossil-fuel-based hydrogen and a transition to community-owned renewable energy and agroecology.

• The vast majority of global hydrogen production is derived from fossil fuels, with green hydrogen representing less than 1% of the total. Specifically, over 62% comes from fossil gas, 21% from coal and lignite, 16% from refinery by-products, and 0.5% from oil.
• Blue hydrogen, which combines fossil gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), is described as a dangerous and unproven technology. Some research indicates that due to energy requirements and methane leaks, its greenhouse gas footprint may be higher than that of coal.
• Green hydrogen is criticized for its high inefficiency, requiring massive amounts of renewable electricity and water. Producing 1 tonne of hydrogen via electrolysis consumes at least 9,000 litres of water.
• The push for hydrogen is viewed as a strategy by the fossil gas lobby to lock in decades of gas infrastructure. In Europe, legislation allows public funds for 'hydrogen-ready' fossil gas infrastructure, while the US has invested $21 billion in tax incentives and direct spending for hydrogen.
• Hydrogen projects are linked to neocolonial extractivism and human rights violations in the Global South. Examples include gas prospecting in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, and the Neom megacity in Saudi Arabia, where indigenous tribes were forcibly evicted for a green hydrogen electrolyzer project.
• Hydrogen is financially non-competitive and volatile. Green hydrogen cannot compete with grey or blue hydrogen due to transport, conversion, and infrastructure costs. Additionally, fossil-based hydrogen is subject to market volatility, as seen in 2021 when gas price spikes tripled production costs.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2023). Ne tombons pas dans le piège de l'hydrogène. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ATI_Hydrogene.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Ne tombons pas dans le piège de l'hydrogène. 2023. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ATI_Hydrogene.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Ne tombons pas dans le piège de l'hydrogène |date=November 2023 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ATI_Hydrogene.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2023tombons, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Ne tombons pas dans le piège de l'hydrogène}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ATI_Hydrogene.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }