The first light of dawn settles over the sky as I finish packing my snacks for the game drive today. The driver and the guide, my companions for this game drive, are already in the SUV, ready to go when I climb on board. The soft hum of the engine is almost inaudible, a stark contrast to the roaring diesel engines of the past. This is no ordinary vehicle; it’s a hydrogen-powered innovation, a testament to the vital role that technology plays in promoting sustainability.

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, it brings exciting new possibilities for travel, and it’s especially exciting when these technological advancements give us new tools to manage our carbon footprint. The automotive industry is no bystander. At the forefront of the effort to develop more sustainable modes of safari transportation is INEOS Automotive. Just last year, they introduced a safari vehicle that runs on hydrogen fuel, citing the greenhouse gas emission targets that have been set by the EU and European governments as among their motivations.

Driving through the sun-drenched savannah, it becomes clear that the benefits of hydrogen fuel go beyond reducing emissions. Hydrogen-powered vehicles, like electric vehicles, are noticeably more quiet and less disruptive to the wildlife, and we find ourselves belonging in the tapestry of the savannah instead of intruding upon it. It’s not just about reducing emissions; it’s about transforming the way in which we experience the world. With the beautiful blend of cutting-edge technology and environmental consciousness, we reap a more harmonious coexistence with nature.

There’s no doubt that we still have endless technological innovation ahead of us in the world of eco-friendly travel. For this reason, it might be worth taking a pause and evaluating the true extent to which the current development of hydrogen fuel is as eco-friendly as it seems. The first concern often raised against hydrogen fuel is its feasibility.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the CEO of INEOS, has remarked, “Electric cars are ideal for city centers and short journeys. But hydrogen is much better for longer journeys and heavier loads, and that requires immediate investment in hydrogen distribution and hydrogen filling stations.” Former U.S. Department of Energy official Joseph Romm challenged the feasibility of building these hydrogen distribution and hydrogen filling stations, arguing that “a hydrogen car is one of the least efficient, most expensive ways to reduce greenhouse gases.” He evaluates the financial feasibility of implementing hydrogen fuel in more detail in his book The Hype about Hydrogen, Fact and Fiction in the Race to Save the Climate.

The second major concern, more directly related to the environment, centers on the method of producing hydrogen fuel through electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity, and it requires a significant amount of electricity. According to an analysis published in Green Car Reports in 2017, vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel consume “more than three times more electricity per mile than an electric vehicle”. This raises a critical question about the source of that electricity.

INEOS claims on their website to use “low carbon hydrogen.” Then, on a different page, they identify “the traditional electrical grid” as the electricity source used in their electrolysis process to produce this low carbon hydrogen.

The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), identifying on its website as an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit, has a great article published on their website about the carbon cost of electric grids. I’m pasting a quote from that article below:

“Using renewable electricity will guarantee that hydrogen electrolysis is carbon-free for everything beyond the carbon embodied in the materials needed for power generation and electrolysis. But what happens to the emissions profile of hydrogen electrolysis when its electricity comes from a carbon-intensive grid? RMI analysis finds that green hydrogen produced on today’s fossil-heavy grid in Texas, for example, would have an average annual carbon intensity over 20 kg CO2 per kg H2. That would nearly double the emissions footprint of hydrogen made from natural gas with no carbon capture and storage (‘grey’ hydrogen).

Fortunately, the world’s electrical grids are quickly decarbonizing, with many expected to be low-carbon by the 2040s. Until then, it is necessary to provide certainty that grid-connected electrolysis is sufficiently low-carbon”

So, are the electric grids that INEOS uses decarbonized?

Based on my research, I don’t know.

There are so many different factors, scientific concepts, and tradeoffs to consider when trying to be eco-friendly, especially when traveling and trying to minimize or offset your carbon footprint. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth getting stuck on every detail and putting too much pressure on ourselves to get everything right, but staying informed can always help. In any case, it’s very encouraging to see how rapidly technology is advancing, and, with that, how we are constantly gaining new tools to safeguard the planet’s wildlife, protect the natural wonders we cherish, and preserve the beauty of the world for future generations.