Real-world data to help maximize hydrogen’s climate potential

Hydrogen has important potential to serve as a pivotal clean fuel and energy carrier in the energy transition. However, hydrogen released into the atmosphere indirectly causes warming, too. To maximize climate benefits, empirical data are needed to quantify the amount of hydrogen leaking into the atmosphere at each stage of the hydrogen supply chain — from production to end use. Now, a first-of-its-kind comprehensive study kicks off to provide this data, filling the gap in our knowledge. It’s an initiative fully funded by philanthropic contributions to Environmental Defense Fund, with partners from academia—including Utrecht University—and industry.

Hydrogen has great potential as a clean fuel and energy carrier for the transition to a more sustainable energy system. But research shows that if hydrogen leaks into the atmosphere, it can contribute to global warming. This happens because hydrogen makes methane stay in the air longer and increases levels of ozone and water vapor in the atmosphere. These effects can reduce the climate benefits of using hydrogen—especially if a lot of it escapes into the air.

Ensure climate benefits

To properly evaluate and reduce the risks of hydrogen emissions from future hydrogen use—and ensure its full climate benefits—we need real-world data on how much hydrogen escapes into the atmosphere along the supply chain, which refers to all the steps involved in producing, storing, transporting, and using hydrogen as an energy source.

That’s where the new research campaign comes in. The study seeks to quantify hydrogen emission rates from existing European and North American facilities in the hydrogen supply chain, such as steam methane reformers, which are used to produce hydrogen gas, liquefaction facilities, where hydrogen is turned into liquid for storage and transportation, and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Accurate emissions data can better inform sound policies and practices to prevent leaks and other emissions from both existing and emerging hydrogen systems.

We are dealing with an environmental issue that remains insufficiently explored and understood

Over ten years of experience

Thomas Röckmann, Professor of Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry at Utrecht University, is leading the European part of the research. His team has over ten years of experience measuring and quantifying methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.

Now, they are applying the same methodologies to measure hydrogen emissions. They already started field measurements for the study in March this year and will continue through early 2026. Ultimately, the data will be aggregated, anonymized, published in peer-reviewed journals, and made publicly available.

Collaborative effort

The study involves academic partners and firms for applied research and technology development, such as TNO and Aerodyne Research. The latter being responsible for the new sensing technology that will be used by the academic partners, which measures and characterizes hydrogen emissions at specific locations.

In addition, there are collaborative partners from industry. They are providing access to their operational facilities for academic researchers to gather the necessary data, and operational context to derive high-quality insights from the data. According to Röckmann this helps the project to obtain truly representative data.

All in all, Röckmann is excited about the study. “We are dealing with an environmental issue that remains insufficiently explored and understood”, he said. “This study is unparalleled in its scope and approach to achieve scientific evidence.”