BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 13. Global hydrogen supply grew by around 2% in 2024, reaching nearly 100 million tonnes (Mt), and is expected to exceed this milestone in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Trend reports.
Production largely mirrors consumption, with China accounting for almost 30% of output, followed by North America and the Middle East at around 15% each.
Hydrogen production remains dominated by unabated fossil fuels, with low-emissions hydrogen making up less than 1% of total supply. Natural gas reforming provides nearly two-thirds of global hydrogen, supported by well-established infrastructure, while coal-based production is concentrated mainly in China and, to a lesser extent, India. By-product hydrogen from refineries and petrochemical facilities contributes only a small portion.
The reliance on fossil-fuel-based production generated roughly 980 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024, equivalent to more than the combined annual emissions of Indonesia and France. Low-emissions hydrogen has grown steadily since 2020 but remains marginal, with 2024 output reaching just 0.8 Mt, a nearly 10% increase from 2023.
Electrolysis-derived hydrogen surged 60% year-on-year in 2024 to over 100 kilotonnes, mainly driven by new capacity in China. Production from projects under construction or that have reached final investment decisions (FID) is expected to rise about 30% in 2025, with growth split between a large CCUS project in the U.S. and new electrolyser installations.
Looking ahead, announced low-emissions hydrogen projects could raise global production to 37 Mt per year by 2030, primarily through electrolysers powered by low-emissions electricity and fossil fuel with CCUS. However, smaller pathways, such as biomass or underground natural hydrogen, are not expected to make a significant contribution by that date.
