BURNING THE PUBLIC

The report argues that the gas industry is pushing hydrogen heating to avoid a 'death spiral' as consumers switch to electric heat pumps. It claims that converting gas grids to hydrogen could cost European users €240bn and that 'hydrogen ready' boilers are a greenwashing tactic to lock in fossil gas use. The document highlights that hydrogen combustion emits dangerous nitrogen oxides (NOx), contrary to industry marketing, and that heat pumps are significantly more cost-effective and efficient than hydrogen-based heating.

• Gas suppliers are lobbying the European Commission to allow the costs of expanding and converting gas infrastructure for hydrogen to be paid for by current gas consumers, a process described as 'mutualisation of costs'.
• The estimated cost for all gas users to convert and build hydrogen gas infrastructure to carry 100% hydrogen is €240bn over 40 years.
• Boiler manufacturers are marketing 'hydrogen ready' and 'hydrogen blend ready' boilers as climate-friendly, but these products may lock consumers into burning fossil gas for their entire lifetime due to the slow rollout of hydrogen infrastructure.
• Industry marketing often misleadingly claims that burning hydrogen only produces water, omitting the emission of dangerous nitrogen oxides (NOx) which are linked to respiratory problems and reduced cognitive performance in children.
• Hydrogen heating is significantly more expensive and less efficient than electric heat pumps; an average European household could face an annual cost of €1,580 for hydrogen, which is twice the cost of an average fossil gas bill.
• Hydrogen blending (adding small amounts of hydrogen to the gas supply) is an expensive strategy with limited climate benefits, providing a maximum of only 7% emissions reductions for a 20% blend.
• Blue hydrogen, produced from fossil gas with carbon capture, may have higher greenhouse emissions than burning fossil gas when methane leakage is considered, and it risks locking in fossil fuel infrastructure.

APA

Global Witness (2022). BURNING THE PUBLIC. https://globalwitness.org/documents/166/Burning_the_Public.pdf

Chicago

Global Witness. BURNING THE PUBLIC. 2022. https://globalwitness.org/documents/166/Burning_the_Public.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=BURNING THE PUBLIC |date=September 2022 |url=https://globalwitness.org/documents/166/Burning_the_Public.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitness2022burning, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{BURNING THE PUBLIC}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://globalwitness.org/documents/166/Burning_the_Public.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }