Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors

Some industries are so emissions-intensive and dependent on fossil fuels that they’ve become known by the term “hard to abate". In terms of hard to abate sectors, electrification alone isn’t enough. Heavy industries, like steel manufacturing and ammonia production, are foundational to modern life. Together, they account for over 15% of global CO₂ emissions. Steel and ammonia rely on high-temperature processes at large scales and have high energy consumption, meaning decarbonization is difficult. Dependence on high-temperature processes, continuous operation, and fossil-based inputs, makes decarbonization a complex and infrastructure-heavy challenge.

Because this hydrogen comes from natural gas, it involves the emission of large amounts of CO₂. This dependency means almost 90% of ammonia production emissions stem from hydrogen generation. So, to decarbonize ammonia, manufacturers can swap to green hydrogen instead with no effect on the end-product.

Decarbonizing with green H2

One pathway to reduce emissions in steel lies with hydrogen based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) processes. Unlike blast furnaces, DRI relies on a reducing gaseous agent (like carbon monoxide or hydrogen) to remove oxygen from iron ore at lower temperatures. By replacing blue or grey hydrogen with green, the process emits water vapor instead of CO₂. This further reduces emissions at its core. Not only does it remove coal from the equation, but it opens the door to a cleaner steel industry.

Ammonia production, by comparison, has a more direct path to decarbonization. Green hydrogen can replace blue or grey hydrogen with the Haber-Bosch process. This substitution doesn't require a reinvention of the chemistry – but a cleaner feedstock. And the implications are significant. By removing the carbon-intensive upstream hydrogen supply, the ammonia industry can cut the majority of emissions without changing the synthesis process. This positions green hydrogen as the key enabler in producing zero-emissions fertilizers and low-carbon chemicals. Thereby helping agriculture and chemical manufacturing to better align with global climate targets.

Paving the way to net zero

Steel and ammonia are two of the world’s most emissions-heavy industries. But they’re also two of the most essential. Decarbonizing these sectors is not only critical for the climate, but a step toward a net-zero future. Green hydrogen offers a viable, scalable path to replacing fossil fuels in a variety of processes.

Realizing hydrogen’s full potential is dependent upon more than the molecule itself. It requires continuous advances into the systems producing it. Each component must be engineered for efficiency and durability at the industrial scale. As hydrogen technologies advance, the collaboration between material science and manufacturing expertise will be critical in meeting the demands of hard-to-abate-sectors.