Sustainability analysis of electrolysis based green hydrogen production pathways: A life cycle perspective
Miray Dincer, Martin Agelin‐Chaab
Abstract
As the global transition towards clean and sustainable energy systems, hydrogen has emerged as a key energy carrier in the pursuit of a carbon-neutral future. This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment to evaluate the long-term environmental impacts of hydrogen production via water electrolysis in the province of Ontario, Canada, with a particular focus on effects on resource depletion, ecosystem quality, and human health. Using a cradle-to-gate framework, the assessment compares different electrolysis technologies and electricity sources through the application of the SimaPro life cycle modeling software. The results indicate that the choice of electricity source plays a critical role in determining the overall environmental performance of hydrogen production pathways. Among the evaluated options, electrolysis powered by hydropower consistently shows the lowest impact on human health, with environmental scores of 56 and 61 millipoints for proton exchange membrane and alkaline electrolyzers, respectively. In contrast, systems powered by solar, wind, and nuclear energy nearly double the impact. For resource depletion, hydropower-based hydrogen production also exhibits the lowest environmental burden, with a resource depletion score of 0.1 millipoints. This is five times lower than wind and nuclear-powered systems, while solar shows the highest impact at 1.8 millipoints. The findings highlight that, within the context of Ontario, Canada, hydropower-driven electrolysis using proton exchange membrane technology presents the most environmentally favorable option for green hydrogen production.