Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas through processes like steam methane reforming (SMR) or autothermal reforming (ATR), combined with carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) to reduce CO₂ emissions. It serves as a lower-carbon alternative to traditional fossil fuels and grey hydrogen (hydrogen produced without capturing emissions).
While not as environmentally clean as green hydrogen, which is derived from renewable energy, blue hydrogen significantly reduces the carbon footprint by capturing up to 95% of the CO₂ emitted during production.
BP are currently developing H2Teesside which “aims to be one of the UK’s largest blue hydrogen production facilities, targeting 1.2GW of hydrogen production by 2030, equating to over 10% of the UK Government’s hydrogen target of 10GW by the same year.”
Blue hydrogen is seen as a transitional energy solution, offering a pathway toward decarbonization while green hydrogen infrastructure and renewable energy capacity are still being developed. It is particularly valuable in hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as heavy industry, transportation, and power generation.
In the 2022 Scottish Government paper: ‘Hydrogen Action Plan’ it notes: “It is clear that hydrogen represents a pivotal opportunity for both decarbonisation and the economy and is a key driver in our just transition. Scotland has the resources, the people, and the ambition to realise the benefits of becoming a leading hydrogen nation.”
Despite its potential, blue hydrogen faces challenges. It relies on fossil fuels, raising concerns about methane leaks in the natural gas supply chain. Additionally, the cost and scalability of CCUS technology are hurdles that need to be addressed. Nevertheless, blue hydrogen remains a critical tool in the transition to cleaner energy systems, providing a viable stopgap as the world shifts toward more sustainable energy solutions.
This section provides examples of a research, teaching or innovation taking place at The National Subsea Centre, Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University to this topic.
Environmental and Policy Impact of Blue Hydrogen Toward Net Zero in the United Kingdom - This project is aimed at understanding the environmental and policy relationships and implications of blue hydrogen in a net zero scenario for the United Kingdom. By first identifying and establishing the drivers, enablers and barriers of blue hydrogen development, an environmental impact assessment is to be carried out on the four case studies of proposed blue hydrogen projects in the UK.
RGU professor showcases hydrogen developments in Bolivia A leading researcher from RGU travelled more than 6,000 miles to South America to highlight the potential of moving away from traditional energy sources to embrace the use of hydrogen.