Blue hydrogen: The shortcut to a low-carbon economy
Hydrogen is often hailed as the fuel of the future, but not all hydrogen is created equal. As the world races toward net zero, blue hydrogen is stepping into the spotlight as a pragmatic and scalable solution for decarbonizing industries today.
In this episode of Sustainability Shift, we unpack how capturing carbon at the source can turn a conventional process into a low-carbon breakthrough. While green hydrogen – produced entirely from renewable energy – remains the ultimate goal, blue hydrogen offers a critical stepping stone. It enables industries to reduce their carbon footprint now, leveraging proven technologies and existing infrastructure while green solutions continue to mature and scale.
Our guests discuss what makes blue hydrogen production viable and how innovation and partnership are key to unlocking its full potential. Together, they explore the technologies behind low-carbon hydrogen, the economics driving its adoption, and the real-world projects that demonstrate its promise – from carbon-capture retrofits to new, large-scale hydrogen and ammonia plants.
Join us as we delve into how Air Liquide’s advanced process technologies and Clariant’s next-generation catalysts are working together to make blue hydrogen one of the most immediate, cost-effective routes toward industrial decarbonization – and a vital bridge to a truly renewable hydrogen future.
Experts in this episode
Alexander Roesch
Director, Syngas Methanol Product Line at Air Liquide
Air Liquide is a global leader in gases, technologies, and services for industry and health. The company is pioneering low-carbon hydrogen production through innovative process technologies and carbon capture systems.
Matthias Wyzycki
Head of Syngas Americas at Clariant
Clariant is a specialty chemicals company with over 60 years of experience in reformer catalysts and hydrogen production technologies, driving efficiency and innovation in the transition to low-carbon energy.
Key terms
Blue hydrogen: Hydrogen produced from natural gas using reforming processes such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Autothermal Reforming (ATR), or Partial Oxidation (POX), combined with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) or Utilization (CCU) to prevent CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere.
CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage): A suite of technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and either store them underground or reuse them in other industrial applications, helping reduce the overall carbon footprint.
ATR (autothermal reforming): A reforming process combining partial oxidation and steam reforming, widely used in large-scale hydrogen and syngas production. It is considered the preferred technology for new blue hydrogen projects due to its high efficiency and scalability. CryoCap™ and RectiCap™: Air Liquide’s proprietary CO₂ capture solutions that enable up to 99% carbon capture rates from hydrogen and syngas production units, supporting the decarbonization of both new and existing plants.
ReforMax™ ATR Catalysts: Clariant’s series of catalysts designed for demanding ATR applications, featuring a unique layering system that enhances process efficiency, minimizes energy loss, and extends catalyst lifetime.
FID (Final Investment Decision): The stage in project development when the decision is made to proceed with construction and financing, often dependent on the project’s commercial viability and regulatory environment.
Green vs. blue hydrogen: Green hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis using renewable electricity, resulting in zero CO₂ emissions. Blue hydrogen, in contrast, uses fossil feedstock but captures and stores the resulting carbon, making it a lower-carbon, transitional solution until green hydrogen becomes cost-competitive at scale.
