Introduction

Not all hydrogen is created equal. The colour-coded “types” of hydrogen represent how it’s produced and its environmental impact. Understanding these categories is essential to grasping the energy debate and the global push for decarbonization.

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Source: IEA – The colours of hydrogen explained

🚧 Key Challenges

• 🧾 Public Confusion: The colour terms aren’t official or standardized, which can lead to miscommunication.

• 🏭 Dirty Origins: Most hydrogen today is still “grey,” produced from fossil fuels without capturing emissions.

• 💵 Green Cost Barrier: Green hydrogen is cleanest—but also currently the most expensive.

• 🧠 Policy Clarity: Governments must align definitions, subsidies, and targets to accelerate the cleanest options.

⚙️ What It Means

Here’s a breakdown of the most common hydrogen types:

• 🟩 Green Hydrogen – Made via electrolysis powered by renewable energy. Virtually zero emissions.

• 🟦 Blue Hydrogen – Produced from natural gas but with carbon capture to reduce emissions.

• ⬜ Grey Hydrogen – The most common today. Comes from natural gas or coal without any carbon capture.

• 🟪 Turquoise Hydrogen – Created by methane pyrolysis. Produces solid carbon instead of CO₂—still in early stages.

• 🟫 Brown/Black Hydrogen – Made from coal. Extremely carbon-intensive and not aligned with climate goals.

• 🟨 Pink Hydrogen – Electrolysis powered by nuclear energy. Clean, but debated due to nuclear concerns.

• 🟦 White Hydrogen – Naturally occurring underground hydrogen; rare and being explored as a future resource.

📌 Takeaway

These “colours” reflect a deeper truth: the future of hydrogen depends not just on the fuel, but on how we make it. The cleaner the method, the bigger its potential to reshape our energy world—sustainably.