Reflects Rising Interest in De-Carbonization & Hydrogen Use in Mobility, Power Generation, Materials Production

- Hydrogen can de-carbonize sectors that renewables and batteries cannot -

NEW YORK, March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Global Platts ("Platts"), the leading independent provider of information, analytics and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, announced it is expanding its suite of daily hydrogen price assessments to meet the needs of the marketplace and the growing interest in independent price references as the energy sector seeks to understand the economics of a clean-energy future.

On April 1, S&P Global Platts will increase its market coverage to include:

Daily hydrogen price assessments for Japan

Nine more daily price assessment regions for the US and Canada

New low-carbon production pathways for Platts Netherlands hydrogen price assessment

Simon Thorne, global director of generating fuels of S&P Global Platts, said: "We recognize the important role hydrogen will play in a clean energy future. Following positive feedback from market participants, we are pleased to broaden the scope of our market coverage to provide the independence and transparency that is so critical to market development and the impartial evaluation of hydrogen as a fuel. We view the trajectory of hydrogen as similar to liquefied natural gas, where our Platts JKM™ price assessment evolved in less than 10 years from a market indicator to a global benchmark, although we expect hydrogen's evolution to be more accelerated."

S&P Global Platts was the first price reporting agency to launch hydrogen assessments, recognizing growing interest in de-carbonization and the use of hydrogen in a number of different sectors, including mobility, power generation and materials production. This expanded suite of daily hydrogen price assessments from the original suite launched in December 2019 will further help market participants evaluate the cost of hydrogen produced from up to four different production pathways at 13 different locations.

Zane McDonald, hydrogen & alternative transportation lead, S&P Global Platts Analytics, said: "Hydrogen production with carbon capture can help the energy system transition to a clean and affordable future by serving as a linkage between abundant, cost effective fossil fuels and the ever-pressing requirement to curb global emissions. As a low-carbon energy carrier, hydrogen can de-carbonize sectors that renewables and batteries alone cannot."

Blue hydrogen is produced from a fossil feedstock, primarily steam methane reforming of natural gas, coupled with carbon capture and sequestration. Green hydrogen is produced from a zero carbon feedstock, primarily electrolysis of renewable electricity. More

If any trouble seeing Graphic of Planned Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Capacity/Announcements, visit Platts website and Platts Release page.

Across the globe, governments are developing ambitious de-carbonization strategies that make low carbon hydrogen a key tool to achieve their goals. With support from both public and private sectors, significant cost declines are likely to emerge throughout the hydrogen supply chain, from production to transportation to storage.

"These cost declines will be critical in reducing CO2 emissions from sectors that have otherwise been challenging to de-carbonize, such as long haul trucking, steel production, industrial heating, long-duration power storage and marine fuels". For this to occur, low carbon hydrogen production needs to scale up dramatically from just under 2% of global supply today," said McDonald.

HYDROGEN AT NORTH AMERICAN HUBS

In addition to Japan and the Netherlands, S&P Global Platts will also publish hydrogen assessments from the following North American hubs: Alberta, Appalachia, Gulf Coast, Midcontinent, Northeast, Northern California, Northwest, Rockies, Southeast, Southern California and Upper Midwest.

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