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https://www.wsj.com/articles/europe-brussels-hydrogen-green-energy-renewables-electricity-dbec480a

Europe’s Lesson in Green Hydrogen

The fuel doubles down on renewables instead of replacing them.

By The Editorial Board
If climate change is an 'existential threat to human existence,' as President Biden suggests, nuclear power may have to be part of the transition from fossil fuels. The Bill Gates-backed TerraPower plant in Wyoming will be a test of that proposition. Images: TerraPower/Reuters Composite: Mark Kelly

Politicians love to say that green hydrogen is the carbon-neutral fuel of the future. If only it were true. A series of policy fights in Brussels is highlighting the perils of the new “hydrogen economy” even as political enthusiasm for it reaches a new peak.

It’s hard to overstate how much the green agenda relies on hydrogen’s alleged promise. It holds out the prospect of carbon-free transportation even if electric-vehicle battery technology never improves. Hydrogen also could be used in industrial processes that can’t easily be electrified to run directly on renewable power.

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This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.