Modelling the impacts of future hydrogen emissions

R&D Focus Areas:
Emissions and atmospheric impacts, Socio-technical risks, Computational modelling

Lead Organisation:
CSIRO

Partners:
Climate Resource Pty Ltd

Status:
Completed

Start date:
February 2021

Completion date:
June 2024

Key contacts:
Matt Woodhouse, matthew.woodhouse@csiro.au

Funding:
CSIRO Hydrogen Energy Systems Future Science Platform, and Environment Business Unit

Project total cost:
AUD$950,000

Project summary description:
The overall goal of the project was to understand the specific global and regional impacts of a shift to a hydrogen economy over the coming decades.

Global impacts on atmospheric composition (oxidative capacity), methane lifetime, impact on stratospheric water vapour and stratospheric ozone (and ozone layer recovery), and global temperature / climate (e.g. avoided warming) are being investigated for a range of hydrogen uptake scenarios spanning the coming decades.

At the regional scale, the goal was to set up a capability for undertaking a national health impact analysis of the air quality impacts of moving to a hydrogen economy. The regional and global models will be coupled at the regional model boundaries.

Future emission scenarios for use in the modelling systems were developed by Climate Resource Pty Ltd and span the period from present day to 2100, and a range of low- to high-uptake scenarios.

The modelling activities are underpinned by continuing high precision in situ monitoring of hydrogen at both Cape Grim (NW Tasmania) and Aspendale (Melbourne, Vic). An additional hydrogen monitoring capability has been deployed at Clayton (Melbourne, Vic). CSIRO also has an ongoing long-term (30 years) global background hydrogen record from flask measurements.

Related publications and key links:
Emissions datasets, tools and publications are being prepared for publication.

Higher degree studies supported:
Not applicable

 

Reviewed: October 2024