Hydrogen greenwashing stalks EU net zero plans - ET EnergyWorld
Hydrogen greenwashing stalks EU net zero plans - ET EnergyWorld
European utilities aim to build natural gas plants that can later switch to clean hydrogen, betting on future abundance to decarbonize energy. This strategy allows companies to market fossil infrastructure as environmentally friendly, despite the technology’s significant inefficiencies and high costs. The gap between current gas usage and potential hydrogen conversion creates a substantial risk of misleading consumers about the true environmental impact. The conversion process wastes nearly seventy percent of the original energy, effectively tripling costs while potentially failing to deliver sufficient clean fuel. Without strict definitions of "hydrogen readiness," operators can falsely claim future sustainability, leaving room for fossil fuel expansion disguised as green transition. This ambiguity enables the industry to secure funding and public support under the guise of climate action, while actual emissions remain high. This dynamic highlights the core danger of greenwashing: defining terms loosely allows polluting activities to be rebranded as sustainable. Governments must establish rigorous standards to prevent companies from exploiting vague promises. Without such safeguards, the push for hydrogen readiness could delay genuine decarbonization, prioritizing political optics over scientifically viable energy solutions.
Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes.comPublished on 2023-04-04