7. Life cycle analyses. CO2 neutrality

The aim of life cycle analysis is to quantify the impact of a process (or set of processes) on the environment. The resources involved, the pressure on the environment and the recyclability of the end product are all parameters taken into account in this analysis. The economic profitability of the process and the cost price of the final product are not taken into account in the life cycle analysis. Clearly, the cost price per m ³ of hydrogen produced by steam-reforming bioethanol is much higher than that produced by reforming natural gas.

As far as the life cycle assessment of hydrogen production processes is concerned, the comparison is essentially made on the potential reduction in net CO ₂ formation in the overall process, including of course the cultivation of the plant...