Hydrogen can be used in a variety of applications throughout the economy, and could be poised to play a significant role in economy-wide decarbonization as global energy production advances towards clean technology. Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity, power industry and heat homes and businesses. There are a number of existing and operating hydrogen production facilities in the U.S., however data on their operating characteristics and emissions is sparse. This is also the case for ammonia production facilities, which could play a similar role to hydrogen in the clean energy economy. This paper aims to inventory existing U.S. industrial hydrogen and ammonia production facilities, estimate their carbon dioxide emissions, evaluate approaches to capture these emissions along with quantifying the amount of capturable emissions, and approximate the associated abatement costs.
Author: Hensley Energy Consulting LLC
This resource was commissioned by or produced by staff of the Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy before the organization rebranded as Ridgeline Center for Law and Policy in 2026.