Hydrogen Offers Unique Opportunities for UK Agriculture

Accounting for 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the agriculture sector is among the most significant contributors to climate change. Hydrogen Industry Leaders showcases how your company can transition to use green hydrogen in your operations.

Ammonia-based fertilisers are traditionally produced using fossil fuels as chemical feedstock. This means that natural gases are used to produce ammonia for fertilisers, which has the adverse effect of releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy and is, therefore, a zero-carbon product, could step in as a viable alternative to natural gas.

By using green hydrogen as the chemical feedstock in ammonia production, the resulting green ammonia is also a zero-carbon product. As the second-most produced chemical in the world by mass, it is paramount that zero-carbon methods are utilised in ammonia production. The agriculture sector certainly has its part to play in this, as a staggering 80% of global ammonia goes into fertilisers.

Additionally, green hydrogen can be used to power agricultural vehicles, such as tractors and harvesters. Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs) work by converting hydrogen into electricity, the only by-product of which is water and steam, meaning these vehicles produce zero carbon emissions. FCVs offer the opportunity to significantly reduce emissions of heavy-duty farming equipment that traditionally run on fossil fuels while maintaining the same performance quality.

Hydrogen energy also boasts the ability to store renewable energy from sources such as solar or wind power. Green hydrogen, which is produced using these renewable energies, can be stored for later use when demand is high. This prevents carbon-intensive power plants from being activated during times of high demand, such as in the morning and evening when people are home from work and using more electricity. Using stored hydrogen energy could balance out demand and ensure farms and rural areas receive a stable supply of energy when it is needed.

Hydrogen Industry Leaders can provide support and guidance through our multimedia platform and in-person event series, where we bring together the people working in hydrogen with the people looking to transition into the hydrogen sector for agriculture. To find out how to get involved with our events, follow this link.