LeeAnn Baronett

Dave Mullaney and LeeAnn Baronett from Rocky Mountain Institute, a non-profit organisation in the field of sustainability, explore how COVID-19 opens up the potential for aviation to double-down on its decarbonisation goals. The cloud of COVID-19 has unleashed a storm of destruction on our society and economy, but it’s also had some environmental silver linings.

40% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from “hard-to-abate” industry sectors like industrial processing and transport. Electrification won’t be enough. They also need hydrogen, argue Patrick Molloy and Leeann Baronett at Rocky Mountain Institute. Hydrogen production is already well established and growing. But it’s mainly for the chemical industry, which never meant it to be “green”: sure enough, only 4% of current hydrogen production is made by electrolysis powered by renewables.

Hydrogen fuel cells are devices that convert chemical potential energy (energy stored in molecular bonds) into electrical energy. They're thought of as an alternative to fossil fuels, but not in widespread use. Hydrogen is the new kid on the block of low-carbon alternatives, with applications in mobility, industrial processing and heavy transport. It also can be used to provide electricity and heat, and can be blended with natural gas to help decarbonize existing natural gas grids.