Adapting life cycle assessment method for evaluating low-carbon hydrogen sources: fugitive, accidental and altitude emissions.

As part of the National Low Carbon Strategy, reflecting France's ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the decarbonisation of industry must result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 35% and 81% respectively by 2030 and 2050 compared with 2015. One of the solutions envisioned is the development of decarbonized hydrogen. The aim of this doctoral project, which is directly part of the "AIde à la Décision pour l'identification et l'accompagnement aux transformations sociétales induites par les nouvelles technologies de l'Hydrogène" (AIDHY) project (public funding), is to study the deployment of decarbonized hydrogen technologies in France, through life cycle analysis (LCA) and integrating risk analysis. The approach developed will be applied to various sectors of interest, taking into account all stages of the hydrogen life cycle: from its production (e.g. water electrolysis, photocatalysis, etc.) to its use (aviation, heavy mobility, etc.). The integration of data linked to the reliability of hydrogen systems, as well as to feared events and dangerous phenomena, will be the subject of specific developments during the doctoral project. The aim will be to show how the uncertainties of environmental impacts and the analysis of accidental phenomena ('low probability high impact') can be coupled, or associated, within a multi-criteria decision support approach. A large part of the thesis work will be devoted to the static and dynamic characterisation of the impacts on climate change associated with fugitive hydrogen emissions, emissions at altitude in the case of the aviation sector, and their geographical location. The hydrogen value chains to be studied will be defined as part of the AIDHY project with all the partners and will potentially involve technological building blocks at a relatively low level of maturity (emerging technologies).

Keywords: Green hydrogen; Life Cycle Assessment; Multi-criteria analysis; Decarbonisation; Climate change; Carbon neutrality; Decision support 

• Academic supervisor    Dr Didier HAUGLUSTAINE, LSCE, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, didier.hauglustaine@lsce.ipsl.fr 
• Doctoral School    ED129 SEIF, Université Paris-Saclay, https://ed129.sorbonne-universite.fr/fr
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr Guillaume BATOT
• PhD location    IFPEN, Rueil-Malmaison, France  
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter 2024 (Novembre 4)
• Employer    IFPEN
• Academic requirements    University Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences or related fields.
• Language requirements    English level B2 (CEFR), willingness to learn French
• Other requirements    Mathematical skills (statistics, probability, data processing); Basic knowledge of Python programming.

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the supervisors indicated below.