On 30 June 2025, MOF2H2 joined forces with two fellow Horizon Europe projects, MAST3RBoost and MOST-H2 for a joint webinar exploring how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can shape the future of hydrogen technologies. The session, titled “Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Hydrogen Storage and Production”, brought together experts across the hydrogen value chain for a pragmatic, research-driven discussion.
For MOF2H2, it was the perfect occasion to spotlight the project’s unique contribution: designing photocatalytic hydrogen production using tailored metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with sustainability assessments embedded from the ground up.
Life Cycle Assessment: not just a checkbox
As hydrogen innovations move from lab-scale to commercial reality, environmental questions loom large. Can these technologies truly support climate goals? What trade-offs are involved in their materials, energy use, and scalability?
In MOF2H2, we believe these questions shouldn’t come after the tech is built — they belong at the centre of design and development. That’s why we integrate LCA from the earliest stages, evaluating the full impact of MOF-based photocatalysts and their potential as a clean hydrogen production route.
Diverse approaches, shared challenges
Moderated by Lenka Svecova (Grenoble INP – Phelma), the webinar featured four expert interventions, each bringing a different perspective on hydrogen-related LCAs:
🔹 Dr. Conrad Spindler (GreenDelta GmbH) presented the LCA strategy of MOST-H2, focusing on MOFs as storage materials and how early-stage environmental modelling can guide material optimisation.
🔹 Javier Sáez (Contactica) spoke on behalf of MAST3RBooSt, offering insights into assessing porous materials derived from secondary sources, and how LCA intersects with circularity and upcycling.
🔹 Dr. Pranav Nakhate (Maastricht University) represented MOF2H2, sharing reflections on the complexity of modelling solar-powered hydrogen production using MOF-based photocatalysts — especially when the technology is still evolving.
🔹 Freddy Liendo (Hysytech) contributed the perspective of HySTrAm, highlighting their work on green ammonia as a vector for hydrogen storage and the role of LCA in validating alternative energy pathways.
Open questions, ongoing work
A closing roundtable tackled common issues across projects: data scarcity, methodological consistency, and the urgent need for EU-level frameworks that make early-stage LCAs both robust and comparable.
Speakers also discussed the evolving role of LCA in:
- Helping new technologies meet “Sustainable-by-Design” principles
- Supporting decision-making for policymakers and investors
- Ensuring hydrogen pathways don’t just look good on paper — but hold up in practice
Watch the recording
Whether you’re a hydrogen researcher, LCA practitioner, or simply curious about what “clean” hydrogen really means, the webinar recording is now available here:
📺 Joint Webinar I Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Hydrogen Storage and Production – YouTube
MOF2H2 will continue to contribute to this conversation, ensuring environmental performance is not just measured, but built into every step of innovation — from molecule to market.
