{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,15]],"date-time":"2026-05-15T23:02:48Z","timestamp":1778886168686,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]],"date-time":"2022-07-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1658966400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003051","name":"New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003051","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Sustain."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Interest in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from conventional power generation has increased the focus on the potential use of hydrogen to produce electricity. Numerous life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of hydrogen-based power generation have been published. This study reviews the technological and methodological choices made in hydrogen-based power generation LCAs. A systematic review was chosen as the research method to achieve a comprehensive and minimally biased overview of hydrogen-based power generation LCAs. Relevant articles published between 2004 and 2021 were identified by searching the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Electrolysis from renewable energy resources was the most widely considered type of hydrogen production in the LCAs analyzed. Fuel cell technology was the most common conversion equipment used in hydrogen-based electricity LCAs. A significant number of scenarios examine the use of hydrogen for energy storage and co-generation purposes. Based on qualitative analysis, the methodological choices of LCAs vary between studies in terms of the functional units, allocations, system boundaries, and life-cycle impact assessment methods chosen. These discrepancies were likely to influence the value of the environmental impact results. The findings of the reviewed LCAs could provide an environmental profile of hydrogen-based electricity systems, identify hotspots, drive future research, define performance goals, and establish a baseline for their large-scale deployment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/frsus.2022.920876","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]],"date-time":"2022-07-28T06:02:49Z","timestamp":1658988169000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":29,"title":["Life-cycle assessment of hydrogen utilization in power generation: A systematic review of technological and methodological choices"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Dyah Ika","family":"Rinawati","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alexander Ryota","family":"Keeley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shutaro","family":"Takeda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shunsuke","family":"Managi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4013","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2008.05.047","article-title":"Potential importance of hydrogen as a future solution to environmental and transportation problems","volume":"33","author":"Balat","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02978665","article-title":"State-of-the-art, LCIA midpoints versus endpoints, The sacrifices and benefits","volume":"5","author":"Bare","year":"2000","journal-title":"Int. J. Life Cycle Assess"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"644","DOI":"10.1016\/j.technovation.2005.06.016","article-title":"Lessons from innovation empirical studies in the manufacturing sector, a systematic review of the literature from 1993-2003","volume":"26","author":"Becheikh","year":"2006","journal-title":"Technovation"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2013.07.048","article-title":"Life cycle assessment of hydrogen production via electrolysis - a review","volume":"85","author":"Bhandari","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3670","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2018.11.122","article-title":"Life cycle environmental impact comparison of solid oxide fuel cells fueled by natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia and methanol for combined heat and power generation","volume":"45","author":"Bicer","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1016\/j.est.2016.01.004","article-title":"Hybrid energy storage approach for renewable energy applications","volume":"8","author":"Bocklisch","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Energy Storage"},{"key":"B7","volume-title":"Power Generation Technologies (Third edition).","author":"Breeze","year":"2019"},{"key":"B8","unstructured":"Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (Clean Hydrogen JU) Work Programme 20222022"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7969","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2011.01.056","article-title":"Strategies for stationary and portable fuel cell markets","volume":"36","author":"Cottrell","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1016\/j.procir.2017.11.005","article-title":"Ex-ante LCA of emerging technologies","volume":"69","author":"Cucurachi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Procedia CIRP"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2020.116378","article-title":"Comparative life cycle assessment of two different SOFC-based cogeneration systems with thermal energy storage integrated into a single-family house nanogrid","volume":"285","author":"Di Florio","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cep.2018.06.003","article-title":"Optimization of a micro-CHP system based on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell and membrane reactor from economic and life cycle assessment point of view","volume":"131","author":"Di Marcoberardino","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Process"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11094","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.12.035","article-title":"Review and evaluation of hydrogen production methods for better sustainability","volume":"40","author":"Dincer","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1409","DOI":"10.1007\/s11367-014-0743-0","article-title":"Comparing the midpoint and endpoint approaches based on ReCiPe - a study of commercial buildings in Hong Kong","volume":"19","author":"Dong","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Life Cycle Assess."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"14595","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2013.07.058","article-title":"Review of hydrogen storage techniques for on board vehicle applications","volume":"38","author":"Durbin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B16","unstructured":"International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook- Recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment in the European context. First edition. Luxemburg: Publication Office of the European Union2011"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1917","DOI":"10.5194\/essd-14-1917-2022","article-title":"Global carbon budget 2021","volume":"14","author":"Friedlingstein","year":"2022","journal-title":"Earth System Science Data"},{"key":"B18","volume-title":"Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment","author":"Guin\u00e9e","year":"2002"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11947","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2010.07.148","article-title":"Life-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emission and energy efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell scooters","volume":"35","author":"Hwang","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B20","unstructured":"Energy Technology Perspectives 2017. Paris: Catalysing Energy Technology Transformations2017"},{"key":"B21","unstructured":"Global Energy and CO2 Status Report 2019. Paris"},{"key":"B22","unstructured":"The Future of Hydrogen. Paris"},{"key":"B23","unstructured":"Global Energy Review 2021. Paris"},{"key":"B24","unstructured":"Global Hydrogen Review 2021. Paris"},{"key":"B25","unstructured":"Net Zero by 2050, A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector. Paris"},{"key":"B26","year":"2006","journal-title":"ISO 14044 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Requirements and guidelines."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1016\/j.renene.2004.05.009","article-title":"Life cycle analysis of wind-fuel cell integrated system","volume":"30","author":"Khan","year":"2005","journal-title":"Renew. Energy"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2019.06.029","article-title":"Environmental impacts of power-to-X systems - A review of technological and methodological choices in Life Cycle Assessments","volume":"112","author":"Koj","year":"2019","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B29","unstructured":"LozanovskiA.\n            SchullerO.\n            FaltenbacherM.\n          Guidance Document for Performing LCA on Hydrogen Production Systems. Guidance Document for Performing LCAs on Fuel Cells and H2011"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1002\/fuce.200330124","article-title":"Life cycle assessment of a molten carbonate fuel cell stack","volume":"3","author":"Lunghi","year":"2003","journal-title":"Fuel Cells"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2004.01.006","article-title":"Life-cycle-assessment of fuel-cells-based landfill-gas energy conversion technologies","volume":"131","author":"Lunghi","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"B32","unstructured":"MasoniP.\n            ZamagniA.\n          Guidance Document for performing LCAs on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies (Hyguide)2011"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3024","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2012.02.028","article-title":"Hydrogen as an energy carrier, Prospects and challenges","volume":"16","author":"Mazloomi","year":"2012","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"981","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2011.09.020","article-title":"Comparative study of different fuel cell technologies","volume":"16","author":"Mekhilef","year":"2012","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1126","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2008.11.020","article-title":"A comparison of environmental benefits of transport and electricity applications of carbohydrate derived ethanol and hydrogen","volume":"34","author":"Melamu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2020.11.155","article-title":"Micro-grid design and life-cycle assessment of a mountain hut's stand-alone energy system with hydrogen used for seasonal storage","volume":"46","author":"Mori","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1810","DOI":"10.1007\/s11367-014-0790-6","article-title":"Life-cycle assessment of a hydrogen-based uninterruptible power supply system using renewable energy","volume":"19","author":"Mori","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Life Cycle Assess."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2013.06.001","article-title":"A systematic review of bioenergy life cycle assessments","volume":"112","author":"Muench","year":"2013","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2015.05.063","article-title":"Environmental performance of electricity storage systems for grid applications, a life cycle approach","volume":"101","author":"Oliveira","year":"2015","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1039\/b105764m","article-title":"Solid oxide fuel cells","volume":"32","author":"Ormerod","year":"2003","journal-title":"Chem. Society Rev"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11219","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2019.02.230","article-title":"Life cycle CO2 emissions from power generation using hydrogen energy carriers","volume":"44","author":"Ozawa","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2018.11.010","article-title":"A review on the role, cost and value of hydrogen energy systems for deep decarbonisation","volume":"101","author":"Parra","year":"2019","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6286","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2020.11.173","article-title":"Performance evaluation and life cycle analysis of RES-hydrogen hybrid energy system for office building","volume":"46","author":"Peppas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2017.05.050","article-title":"Seasonal storage and alternative carriers, a flexible hydrogen supply chain model","volume":"200","author":"Reu\u00df","year":"2017","journal-title":"Appl. Energy."},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/2516-1083\/ac34e9","article-title":"A systematic review of life cycle assessment of hydrogen for road transport use","volume":"4","author":"Rinawati","year":"2022","journal-title":"Prog. Energy"},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.134814","article-title":"Environmental analysis of a nano-grid, a life cycle assessment","volume":"700","author":"Rossi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ"},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"14369","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2013.09.029","article-title":"Life cycle assessment of power generation alternatives for a stand-alone mobile house","volume":"38","author":"Sevencan","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B48","unstructured":"From FCH - LCA guidelines, through FCH-LCC and SLCA guidelines, to robust FCH-LCSA guidelines and tools2022"},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1111\/jiec.12973","article-title":"A region-specific environmental analysis of technology implementation of hydrogen energy in Japan based on life cycle assessment","volume":"24","author":"Shimizu","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Industrial Ecol"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1002\/er.1223","article-title":"Life cycle energy and environmental analysis of a microgrid power pavilion","volume":"31","author":"Spitzley","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Energy Res"},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1670","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2009.10.012","article-title":"Comparative LCA of methanol-fuelled SOFCs as auxiliary power systems on-board ships","volume":"87","author":"Strazza","year":"2010","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"824","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2018.09.201","article-title":"Reducing environmental impacts of the UPS system based on PEM fuel cell with circular economy","volume":"165","author":"Stropnik","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2018.05.068","article-title":"Conceptual design and life cycle assessment of decentralized power generation by HT-PEMFC system with sorption enhanced water gas shift loop","volume":"171","author":"Suwanmanee","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ceja.2021.100172","article-title":"Hydrogen production, distribution, storage and power conversion in a hydrogen economy - a technology review","volume":"8","author":"Tashie-Lewis","year":"2021","journal-title":"Adv. Chem. Eng"},{"key":"B55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-8551.00375","article-title":"Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed management knowledge by means of systematic review","volume":"14","author":"Tranfield","year":"2003","journal-title":"Br. J. Management."},{"key":"B56","unstructured":"Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products 20202020"},{"key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"346","DOI":"10.1007\/s11367-016-1156-z","article-title":"Life cycle assessment of hydrogen energy systems, a review of methodological choices","volume":"22","author":"Valente","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Life Cycle Assess."},{"key":"B58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16660","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2015.09.104","article-title":"Life-cycle performance of hydrogen as an energy management solution in hydropower plants, a case study in Central Italy","volume":"40","author":"Valente","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrog."},{"key":"B59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1067","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2008.08.004","article-title":"LCA of renewable energy for electricity generation systems-a review","volume":"13","author":"Varun Bhat","year":"2009","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seta.2017.02.003","article-title":"Greenhouse gas emissions reductions from applications of Power-to-Gas in power generation","volume":"20","author":"Walker","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sustain. Energy Technol. Assess"},{"key":"B61","unstructured":"World Energy Insights, Working Paper Regional Insights into Low Carbon Hydrogen. London2022"},{"key":"B62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111180","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2021.111180","article-title":"Hydrogen energy systems, A critical review of technologies, applications, trends and challenges","volume":"146","author":"Yue","year":"2021","journal-title":"Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev."},{"key":"B63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2021.120049","article-title":"Techno-economic and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions assessment of liquefied natural gas supply chain in China","volume":"224","author":"Zhang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"B64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1530-9290.2012.00476.x","article-title":"Systematic review checklist a standardized technique for assessing and reporting reviews of life cycle assessment data","volume":"16","author":"Zumsteg","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Industrial Ecol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Sustainability"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/frsus.2022.920876\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]],"date-time":"2022-07-28T06:02:55Z","timestamp":1658988175000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/frsus.2022.920876\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]]},"references-count":64,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/frsus.2022.920876"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frsus.2022.920876","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-4524"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-4524","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,28]]},"article-number":"920876"}}