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 connects Cornell to four global industry leaders: Air Products, Air Liquide, Shell, and TotalEnergies; global not-for-profit, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF); academic scientists from Utrecht University, University of Rhode Island, and West Virginia University; and applied research and technology development firms, Aerodyne Research, TNO, and Transport Energy Strategies.
"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."
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.
John Albertson, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will lead a Cornell team of researchers in the field. The study builds off a multi-year effort supported by Cornell Atkinson to measure methane leaks. The new hydrogen study applies similar techniques to identify hydrogen emissions across infrastructure like pipelines, refueling stations, and production facilities. Early field tests have successfully measured hydrogen leaks with high precision, and the project is now collecting more real-world data. The goal is to create a foundation of empirical data to inform best practices for responsibly deploying hydrogen at scale, leak detection, and industry efforts to reduce emissions, while providing essential data for policymakers.
"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," Lodge added.
"This study is unparalleled in its scope and approach to achieve truly representative data," said
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 next phase of the study is fully funded by philanthropic contributions to Environmental Defense Fund.
