# An Overview of Hydrogen's Application for Energy Purposes in Lithuania
## 4 Technological Aspects of Hydrogen Use in Industry  
Most attention and efforts are given to decarbonization of electricity generation by increasing the share of renewables. However, one of the world's biggest climate challenges on the way to zero GHG emissions is decarbonizing fossil energy uses that cannot be directly electrified using renewable power. These are the so-called \"hard-to-abate\" (HTA) sectors, such as major industries relying on fossil fuels for the supply of high temperatures for specific technological processes (iron, steel, cement and building materials) or for chemical feedstocks. It has been estimated that together they are responsible for approximately 30% of the world's annual CO\({}_{2}\) emissions [36]. Heavy-duty transport is another sector where GHG emission reduction is difficult to achieve. Hydrogen has a strong potential to become a solution for development of carbon-neutral energy systems and link electricity and gas grids due to its wide range of use as storage medium for renewable excess energy and as fuel [43]. Currently grey hydrogen is widely used in industrial processes. According to the estimated data from 2021, 34 Mt of hydrogen demand was used for ammonia, 15 Mt for the production of methanol and 5 Mt for direct reduced iron (DRI) in the steel industry [23] worldwide. Small industrial applications would be in such areas as chemical industry, electronics and glass making. Moreover, hydrogen can also be produced as a byproduct during chlor-alkali processes in steam crackers, coke ovens or incinerated or used for hydrogenation or power generation. Hydrogen plays an important role in the production of a wide range of chemical compounds, the purification of petroleum products and the processing of metals. Additionally, it is used as a raw material in the production of ammonia, methanol, hydrogen peroxide, solvents, plastics, polyester and nylon. Hydrogen gas is used in furnaces to harden metals and hydrogen and oxygen flames are used to cut ferrous metals. It is also often mixed with argon and used in welding metals. During the pandemic, back in 2020, the main industrial applications for hydrogen demand remained almost unchanged. However, according to IEA, the hydrogen-derived products in 2021 were all on a rise: ammonia by 3%, followed by methanol and DRI production--both at 12%. Due to the fact that nearly all hydrogen used in industry is produced using coal and natural gas as a primary source, it accounted for 7% of industrial CO\({}_{2}\) net emissions released into the atmosphere (630 Mt) in 2021. Few of those industrial applications are electrolytic and CCUS-equipped ammonia, steel and methanol production, as well as hydrogen use for industrial heat demand. These new low-emission production processes account for 13 Mt of total industrial hydrogen production by 2030. Oil refineries are another industrial sector that requires hydrogen in its processing operations in order to remove sulphur and other impurities, and to upgrade heavy oil residues into lighter products. According to [23], the historic maximum stood at 40 Mt in 2018-2019 of hydrogen demand in refining. During 2020 it dropped sharply to 38 Mtand recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 to reach the all-time high of 41 Mt in 2022. However, it is important to mention that most of the hydrogen used in refineries was produced from fossil fuels that resulted in CO\({}_{2}\) emissions of more than 200 Mt back in 2021. According to Stated Policies Scenario of IEA (STEPS), the outlook for 2030 suggests a promising scenario, with the global hydrogen demand in refining to reach around 47 Mt. In 2021, nearly 50% of all hydrogen demand in refining was based in two regions: North America at around 10 Mt and China over 9 Mt. Meanwhile, Europe has observed a significant decrease in refining capacity in recent years. Not to mention, the refineries based in Russia that, due to the international sanctions imposed, face an uncertain future.