The gasification of Polish coal to produce hydrogen could help to make the country independent of oil and gas imports and assist in the rational energy transition from gray to green hydrogen. When taking strategic economic or legislative decisions, one should be guided not only by the level of CO₂ emissions from the production process, but also by other environmental impact factors obtained from comprehensive environmental analyses. This paper presents an analysis of the life cycle of hydrogen by coal gasification and its application in a vehicle powered by FCEV cells. All the main stages of hydrogen fuel production by Shell technology, as well as hydrogen compression and transport to the distribution point, are included in the analyses. In total, two fuel production scenarios were considered: with and without sequestration of the carbon dioxide captured in the process. Life cycle analysis was performed according to the procedures and assumptions proposed in the FC-Hy Guide, Guidance Document for performing LCAs on Fuel Cells and H₂ Technologies by the CML baseline method. By applying the CO₂ sequestration operation, the GHG emissions rate for the assumed functional unit can be reduced by approximately 44% from 34.8 kg CO_2-eq to 19.5 kg CO_2-eq, but this involves a concomitant increase in the acidification rate from 3.64·10⁻² kg SO_2-eq to 3.78·10⁻² kg SO_2-eq, in the eutrophication index from 5.18·10⁻² kg PO³⁻_4-eq to 5.57·10⁻² kg PO³⁻_4-eq and in the abiotic depletion index from 405 MJ to 414 MJ and from 1.54·10⁻⁵ kg Sb_eq to 1.61·10⁻⁵ kg Sb_eq.

The aim of this publication is to review the current state and possibilities of developing electromobility and alternative fuels in Poland. It was found that the current market for alternative fuels in Poland is insufficiently developed. At the end of 2019 in Poland, liquefied petroleum gas-powered cars accounted for approximately 3.3 million pieces, which amounts to 14.3% all passenger vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes of gross vehicle weight. There were over 9000 electric cars on the road, the share of which accounted for 0.04% of domestic passenger transport. The lack of a sufficient number of charging points, inhibiting the development of electromobility, was also noted. There were approximately 4000 (0.02%) passenger cars powered by compressed natural gas. Liquefied gas-powered vehicles were exclusively public transport vehicles or trucks. The share of biofuels in the Polish transport sector stands at 4%, while European Union requirements are at a level of 10%. Although there is huge potential for the use of hydrogen as an alternative to conventional transport fuels in Poland, just one hydrogen-powered vehicle has been registered in the country so far, with no filling station in existence for this fuel. The synthetic fuel sector is in the planning stage.