Researchers at NETL and their partners have received $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop and field-validate H2-SMART — novel distributed fiber optic sensors with an artificial intelligence-driven model to locate and quantify hydrogen emissions from pipelines with enhanced accuracy and efficiency.

NETL will partner with the University of Pittsburgh, which has previously collaborated with NETL to advance the development of state-of-the-art sensors for use in the energy sector, and Hope Gas, a local distribution company that provides gas service to residential, industrial and commercial customers in 35 counties in West Virginia.

The NETL-led project was one of nine awards made by the ARPA-E H2SENSE program. These projects received a total of $18 million to enable the safe and economical expansion of the hydrogen economy while mitigating its climate impact.

H2-SMART sensors are highly sensitive and offer kilometer-scale distance coverage for pipeline and large-area emissions monitoring. “The novel sensor technology and artificial intelligence-driven model we are developing will provide tools to detect and quantify hydrogen leaks and emissions from hydrogen or hydrogen-natural gas blend pipelines,” said Ruishu Wright, a research scientist and a technical portfolio lead who has led pipeline sensor technology development for almost a decade.

“Our work is crucial to ensure hydrogen can be transported safely and securely across great distances for use as a clean fuel to power transportation, electricity generation and manufacturing applications without contributing to climate change,” Wright said.

Hydrogen does not act as a direct greenhouse gas in the atmosphere because it does not absorb infrared light. However, hydrogen is considered an indirect greenhouse gas due to its ability to extend the lifetime of other greenhouse gases, such as methane, which makes preventing emissions of hydrogen from transmission infrastructure a priority as the nation transitions to a hydrogen economy.

Current hydrogen detection methods are primarily focused on leaks that could pose a fire hazard and safety concern, with detection limit and sensitivity typically at volumes of 1% or parts per million. Significantly lower concentration leaks have an accumulative climate impact without posing an immediate safety hazard. Therefore, it is important to develop innovative approaches for hydrogen gas detection and quantification across the hydrogen supply chain.

“Through its research on hydrogen production, transportation, storage and use, NETL is advancing DOE’s efforts to put hydrogen on the front lines as a clean fuel to meet the nation’s decarbonization goals, which call for net-zero carbon emission in the power sector by 2035 and the broader economy by 2050,” Wright said.

Paul Ohodnicki, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh, said partnerships are key to technology maturation. “This partnership will accelerate the time to adoption of hydrogen emission monitoring technologies for transmission pipelines, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to participate in the development and deployment of this important technology,” Ohodnicki said.

“At Hope Gas, we have safely and reliably heated homes and powered local businesses for over 125 years,” said Jeff Nehr, senior vice president, Gas Supply and Business Development. “We are proud to be part of innovative projects that explore the future of energy to benefit our customers and communities for generations to come. Hope Gas embraces our energy future and is committed to supporting the research and training needed to create family-sustaining jobs in the next era of our energy workforce.”

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers solutions for a clean and secure energy future. By leveraging its highly skilled innovators and state-of-the-art research facilities, NETL is advancing carbon management and resource sustainability technologies to enable environmental sustainability for all Americans.