Hydrogen Horizons: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Energy Future

The escalating hydrogen demand, expected to surge eightfold by 2050 compared to 2020, poses multifaceted challenges for its energy sector deployment. Hydrogen's exceptional calorific value, ranking second at 120–142 MJ/kg, positions it as the prime energy-to-weight ratio among conventional fuels. Green hydrogen production, with readiness levels around 7–8 and commercial readiness indices of about 4–5, commands a significant 30% market share with 55-80% efficiency and production costs of $4-7/kg H
2
. While costs are projected to reach $1-2/kg H2 in the future, integrating various production processes is crucial, transcending mass-scale production. Metal hydride emerges as an economical hydrogen storage solution at $125/m
³
, while ammonia leads with a low specific energy cost of $13/GJ. Streamlined infrastructure development is imperative for efficient storage, transportation, and delivery. This exhaustive review encompasses hydrogen production, storage, costs, and applications, offering insightful analysis and guidance on hydrogen's energy carrier challenges. Achieving sustainable development goals by 2050 necessitates integrated planning, infrastructure, cost reduction, net-zero emissions, and innovative storage. Policymakers, researchers, and scientists can utilize this review as a blueprint to shape hydrogen's future role in energy.