America Can Dominate Global Hydrogen By Leveraging Natural Gas
The race to decarbonize the global economy hasn’t ended yet, although it seems on somewhat shaky ground these days. Assuming the race continues, hydrogen has emerged as one of the linchpins for progress — a versatile, low-carbon fuel poised to transform industries from steelmaking to shipping.
Not surprisingly, natural gas, increasingly the workhorse of today’s energy system, is the key to unlocking America’s leadership in the hydrogen sector. Far from being a relic of the fossil fuel past, natural gas—abundant, affordable, and geopolitically secure in the United States—offers a pragmatic means of seizing global leadership in the hydrogen sector. By leveraging it smartly, the U.S. can dominate the global hydrogen market, bolster its energy security, and meet rising international demand.
Natural Gas: The Backbone of Hydrogen Today
Here are some stubborn facts:
Over 95% of the world’s hydrogen is produced through steam methane reforming (SMR), a process that uses natural gas to generate hydrogen by splitting methane and water molecules.
This “blue” hydrogen is not a futuristic fantasy—it’s the reality powering 10 million metric tons of hydrogen annually in the U.S. alone, making America the world’s second-largest producer. This isn’t green hydrogen from electrolysis or experimental tech; it’s a proven, scalable method rooted in a resource the U.S. has in spades.
