From Fossil Fuels to Green Hydrogen: a Pathway to Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of green hydrogen and renewable resources in addressing the global climate crisis and achieving sustainability. It highlights the European Union’s goal to become the first net-zero carbon continent by 2050, emphasizing the importance of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, which produces only water vapor when utilized. Current hydrogen production methods, predominantly from fossil fuels, result in significant CO[[inf]]2[[/inf]] emissions. Up to 35% of global hydrogen production is used in oil refineries, where it is crucial for hydrocracking and hydrodesulfurization processes. Despite the high environmental cost, hydrogen demand in refineries is increasing due to stricter environmental regulations. As discussed in this chapter, the integration of green hydrogen into oil refinery operations, alongside existing hydrogen generation plants, presents a viable pathway to decarbonization. In this context, details of various hydrogen production technologies, conventional fossil fuel based, and renewable-based methods such as wind and solar power driven electrolysis are reported together with the cost and environmental impacts of these technologies, suggesting that green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, is the most sustainable option. Several case studies and projects demonstrated in this chapter reveal the potential for green hydrogen to significantly reduce emissions in the refining sector, highlighting the need for global cooperation and investment in sustainable energy solutions. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.