Question

how has extracting hydrogen have an impact on the environment?

Answer 1

The greenhouse gas intensity (and other environmental impacts) of hydrogen production depends on the sources and processes through which the hydrogen is derived. It can be extracted from water using electrolysis, using power from renewable solar or wind, nuclear energy, or fossil energy. It can be extracted from renewable biomass or coal using high temperature gasification. Or, using chemical catalysts, it can be derived from renewable biogas, renewable ethanol or methanol, or fossil natural gas. Today, most hydrogen is derived from fossil natural gas, emitting fossil carbon dioxide as a by-product.

The fundamental attraction of hydrogen is its environmental advantages over fossil fuels. If hydrogen is produced without emitting any carbon dioxide or other climate-destabilizing greenhouse gases, it could form the basis of a truly sustainable energy system