New research spells trouble for blue hydrogen in Texas

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🗞️ Driving the news: Exxon and Chevron, along with other energy giants, may receive $1.2 billion in federal grants for "clean" hydrogen production in Texas
• However, a study from the University of Texas highlights that high methane emissions from natural gas in Texas may prevent this hydrogen from meeting federal "clean" standards
• The government's emissions measurements for hydrogen projects may overlook these upstream emissions

🔭 The context: The Biden administration selected Texas as one of seven clean hydrogen hubs, planning to use natural gas with carbon capture for hydrogen production
• However, the new research shows that methane leaks from the Permian Basin could push the carbon intensity of this hydrogen beyond acceptable federal limits
• While hydrogen made from Marcellus Shale gas could qualify as clean, it depends on capturing at least 90% of carbon emissions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These findings highlight a potential flaw in subsidizing hydrogen projects that claim to reduce emissions but may, in fact, contribute more to climate change due to methane leaks

⏭️ What's next: Researchers call for stricter federal guidelines to account for methane leaks and upstream emissions in carbon calculations for hydrogen
• Future EPA methane regulations could alter which projects qualify for clean hydrogen subsidies

💬 One quote: “You’re investing so much in developing a hydrogen economy, and then it turns out, 10 years later, half of them are not even low carbon” — Arvind Ravikumar, University of Texas at Austin

📈 One stat: Permian Basin methane leakage rate is 5.2%, compared to the national average assumption of 1%

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