The success of the net-zero transition hinges on appropriate manufacture and use of alternative
fuels in combination with a large-scale transition to carbon-free electrical power for much of the
current fossil-fuel based economy. “Green” fuels, such as hydrogen and ammonia, are
promising alternatives to fossil fuels because, if produced and used appropriately, they can
deliver energy in a carbon-free manner.
The MACA Green Alternative Fuels paper examines the potential uses of green fuels, the energy and emissions costs of using
them, the core principles of using them to best effect, and the limits to their use in a net-zero
economy. We conclude that there is a limited role for alternative fuels and that too large a role
for alternative fuels could impede the transition to a net-zero-economy. We also provide
specific guidelines for how they should be integrated into a net-zero electrified economy,
including strict adherence to the “three pillars”.
