Major Collaborative Research Study Launches to Measure Real-World Hydrogen Emissions

(Rotterdam, Netherlands) A new international research initiative will measure hydrogen emissions from operating infrastructure in North America and Europe, filling a gap where little empirical data exist today. With commercial hydrogen operations poised for global expansion, the new information will help producers, regulators, investors and others understand potential emission sources and how to address them. 

The study brings together four global industry leaders: Air Products, Air Liquide, Shell and TotalEnergies; global not-for-profit, Environmental Defense Fund; academic scientists from Utrecht University, University of Rhode Island, West Virginia University and Cornell University; and applied research and technology development firms, Aerodyne Research, TNO and Transport Energy Strategies.  

The study seeks to quantify hydrogen emission rates from facilities in the hydrogen value chain, including steam methane reformers, pipelines and compressors, liquefaction facilities, oil refineries, fueling stations, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other hydrogen infrastructure.  

Researchers are using the first commercial high-precision, fast hydrogen analyzers and mobile/portable sensing platforms to detect and characterize site-level and component-level hydrogen emissions with accuracy and speed not seen before. 

“This study is unparalleled in its scope and approach to achieve truly representative data,” said Dr. Thomas Röckmann, Professor of Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry, Utrecht University. “By combining data gathered directly from operating facilities with expertise shared by operators, our aim is to contribute rigorous, scientific evidence to an environmental issue that remains insufficiently explored and understood.” 

Hydrogen, which today is used primarily for refining and chemical production, has seen significant momentum in recent years with potential new applications linked to the energy transition and decarbonization. Over 60 countries have adopted national hydrogen strategies, according to the International Energy Agency, with targets and substantial investments being made to scale up production and develop supporting infrastructure.  

While hydrogen holds important potential to contribute to deep decarbonization – particularly in sectors that are difficult to electrify, including heavy industry and long-distance transport – it presents its own emissions challenges that need to be understood and carefully managed to optimize this potential. Studies indicate that hydrogen released into the atmosphere indirectly causes warming through chemical reactions, which can reduce the intended climate benefits of hydrogen deployment if not addressed. Accurate emissions data can better inform sound policies and practices to prevent leaks and other emissions from both existing and emerging hydrogen systems. 

“This study will for the first time bring together academia and industry in a collaborative effort to directly measure hydrogen emissions from a range of operational facilities. As hydrogen becomes an increasingly important part of the energy system, developing a robust, data-driven understanding of its emissions is essential to supporting informed decisions and guiding future investments in the sector,” said Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist and Senior Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund.  

In support of advancing the science related to hydrogen emissions, the four industry partners are providing access to their facilities for university researchers to gather data. They will also provide operational context to derive high-quality insights from the data. All study participants share in the objectives of representative data and scientifically rigorous interpretation of results.   

Field measurements for the study began in March this year and will continue through early 2026. Data will be aggregated, anonymized, published in peer-reviewed journals and made publicly available.  

The study is fully funded by philanthropic contributions to Environmental Defense Fund.  

###  

Quotes from study partners: 

Industry partners 

“Hydrogen is key to the transition to a low-carbon society, enabling the decarbonization of industrial processes and heavy-duty mobility. In addition to our internal initiatives to better assess and minimize hydrogen emissions, this collaboration gives us the opportunity to further improve our knowledge on this critical challenge,” said Erwin Penfornis, Vice President Hydrogen Energy World Business Line, Air Liquide.  

“This study will provide critical, independent data to promote a greater understanding of the hydrogen production process. The information gathered through this effort will ultimately help companies and countries make informed decisions on the key role hydrogen can play as we work collaboratively to build a cleaner energy ecosystem. Our participation in this study demonstrates our ongoing commitment to ensuring the long-term climate benefits of hydrogen,” said Caroline Stancell, Vice President Hydrogen for Mobility, Air Products.  

"Being a responsible operator means tackling challenges head-on and helping to set industry standards for future energy systems. Hydrogen is key to the energy transition, with potential to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors. This initiative will provide a robust understanding of emissions from hydrogen facilities, helping to ensure efficient operations. It's a prime example of innovation and collaboration, and we're proud to support it," said Andy Beard, Hydrogen President, Shell.  

"We are delighted to make some of our assets available for this collaborative study.  This will help us to better understand hydrogen emissions in industrial facilities, particularly as hydrogen production expands worldwide. Collaboration between complementary industrial and academic players is an effective approach to identifying risks and accelerating the deployment of the hydrogen value chain," said Karine Boissy-Rousseau, Vice President, Green Gases from TotalEnergies. 

Environmental Defense Fund 

“This study will for the first time bring together academia and industry in a collaborative effort to directly measure hydrogen emissions from a range of operational facilities. As hydrogen becomes an increasingly important part of the energy system, developing a robust, data-driven understanding of its emissions is essential to supporting informed decisions and guiding future investments in the sector,” said Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist and Senior Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund.  

Academic partners 

“When researchers and industry work together, we can move scientific discoveries out of the lab and into the real world where they make a difference,” said David Lodge, Francis J. DiSalvo Director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. “For universities like Cornell, this type of partnership is critical to transform knowledge to impact. This next phase of research builds on years of collaboration between EDF and Cornell on emissions measurement, and it's exciting to see this collaborative effort leading to even greater impact.”  

“This study is unparalleled in its scope and approach to achieve truly representative data,” said Dr. Thomas Röckmann, Professor of Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry, Utrecht University. “By combining data gathered directly from operating facilities with expertise shared by operators, our aim is to contribute rigorous, scientific evidence to an environmental issue that remains insufficiently explored and understood.” 

“There has never before been a comprehensive study of hydrogen emissions across the entire supply chain. An essential component of our study is having industry partners on board who provide the site access and facility operating data necessary to interpret the results.  Development of the new hydrogen sensor by Aerodyne will enable us to capture facility-level hydrogen emissions using tracer-release methodology, which will help us determine accurate emission rates,” said Anthony Marchese, Dean of Engineering, University of Rhode Island 

“Collaborating in a study of this magnitude is critical for improving efficiency through academic discovery and industry resources,” said Derek Johnson, Professor of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University. "We are excited to build upon our prior successful studies with EDF, Aerodyne, TES and others that used similar approaches to examine methane emissions from the natural gas sector. Our team plans field work at active facilities to collect accurate real world hydrogen emissions data that can be used to inform industry on a path towards improved efficiency and lower hydrogen emissions.”  

Technology and research providers  

“It is rewarding to see the analytical basis for detecting hydrogen with a new sensor that has unprecedented sensitivity and speed that emerged from a drawing on a whiteboard to an in-use field instrument. The innovative approach of this study – sensor, methodology and collaboration combined – will enable us to quantify improvements in hydrogen’s future applications,” said Scott Herndon, Principal Scientist, Aerodyne Research. 

“Prior studies have presented upstream emissions of carbon dioxide and methane associated with hydrogen production, but have not examined the loss of hydrogen itself. Our task is to quantify the hydrogen emissions from vehicle operation through direct measurement," said Dr. Nigel Clark, Emeritus Professor at West Virginia University and Consultant at Transport Energy Strategies. "We also are engaged in measuring and modeling losses from fueling stations that produce hydrogen on site or store hydrogen for dispensing, to achieve a holistic measure for hydrogen use in transportation.”