Estimated Electricity Requirements for Green Hydrogen Production in 2020 and 2050
| Country | Estimated electricity for green hydrogen production (kilowatts per capita), 2020 | Percentage of direct-use electricity capacity, 2020 | Estimated electricity for green hydrogen production (kilowatts per capita), 2050 | Percentage of direct-use electricity capacity, 2050 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 0.1 | 22 | 0.3 | 43 |
| Indonesia | 0.1 | 51 | 0.1 | 63 |
| Netherlands | 0.6 | 79 | 0.6 | 79 |
| Taiwan | 0.0 | 1 | 0.5 | 17 |
In 2020, most hydrogen was produced through steam methane reforming, which emits carbon gases. Using electricity from renewable sources to produce green hydrogen sourced from water would enable countries to reduce industrial carbon emissions, but doing so depends on countries’ capacity for direct-use electricity (electricity not used and saved at the same facility). Researchers estimated the amount of electricity that would have been needed in 2020 if green hydrogen had been adopted and the amount needed to meet projected green hydrogen demand in 2050. The comparison between these estimates and estimates of capacity suggests that in most countries, projected green hydrogen production would require a larger share of electricity produced on-site, with the exception of