A research cluster at The University of Texas at Austin with the mission to help enable a hydrogen economy.
The University of Texas at Austin conducts cutting-edge applied research to advance knowledge, drive innovation in hydrogen technologies, and prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers to convert emerging technologies into a powerful hydrogen economy. First-of-a-kind hydrogen testing sites include the Hydrogen Proto-Hub and the subsurface aquifer GeoH2 testing site in development.
Hydrogen Proto-Hub
Located at UT Austin’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the Hydrogen Proto-Hub generates zero-carbon hydrogen using water electrolysis powered by solar and wind energy, as well as steam methane reformation of renewable natural gas from a Texas landfill. The hydrogen powers a stationary fuel cell for clean, reliable power for the Texas Advanced Computing Center and supplies zero-emission fuel to cell drones and a fleet of Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles. This approach marks the first time that multiple renewable hydrogen supplies and multiple end uses have been networked at a single location to demonstrate a scalable, economical hydrogen ecosystem.
Announcements
UT Joins Industry in Report to Legislature to Advance Texas’ Hydrogen Economy
UT Austin joined top energy companies in issuing a report to the Texas Legislature advising the steps it could take to advance the state’s growing hydrogen industry. The report, issued by the Texas Hydrogen Production Policy (TxH2) Council, provided several key recommendations focusing on safety, environmental protection, and regulatory clarity and efficiency. UT is the only university represented on the council.
UT Energy Expertise to Guide HyVelocity Hub, New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, as Lead Academic Founding Partner
UT Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply.
In August 2020, the Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association Released an Extensive Hydrogen Report: “Roadmap to a US Hydrogen Economy”
Leaders from Air Liquide, NEL Hydrogen, Plug Power, Shell, Chevron, Daimler, Hyundai, Toyota, and Microsoft identified their perspectives on research needs. The report defines the ambitions and technical challenges of hydrogen energy.
Ongoing research at UT addresses nearly all of the identified technical challenges. Governments and industry are investing in hydrogen energy, and UT has the capabilities to drive the hydrogen ambition.
Recent Publications
Low-carbon hydrogen is considered a key component of global energy system decarbonization strategy. The US Inflation Reduction Act incentivizes low-carbon hydrogen production through tax credits that vary based on life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions intensity of hydrogen. Blue hydrogen or hydrogen produced from natural gas coupled with carbon capture and sequestration is one such pathway. In this article, we develop a geospatial, measurement-informed model to estimate supply-chain specific life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions intensity of blue hydrogen produced with natural gas sourced from the Marcellus and Permian shale basins. We find that blue hydrogen production using Permian gas has a life-cycle emissions intensity of 7.4 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per kg hydrogen (kgCO2e kg−1 H2), more than twice that of hydrogen produced using Marcellus gas of 3.3 kgCO2e kg−1 H2. In a world where hydrogen demand is high, the choice of production pathway should be based on a localized and relative analysis of available deployment options. Eligibility for tax credits should therefore be based on life-cycle assessments that are supply-chain specific and measurement informed to ensure blue hydrogen projects are truly low carbon.
This study provides an analysis of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with hydrogen
production pathways in the context of the 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit (45V PTC) under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and underscores the importance of integrating zero-carbon electricity (ZCE), implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and co-product valorization, and carefully selecting feedstocks to maximize eligibility for the 45V PTC. Additionally, it provides insights into the various limitations of the latest 45V-GREET model, identifying opportunities for future research to further evaluate the model’s fixed assumptions and constraints. The findings are valuable for stakeholders in the hydrogen production industry aiming to leverage the 45V PTC to promote low-carbon hydrogen production.
Our mission is to help enable a hydrogen economy.
Hydrogen economy promises
- New jobs
- Transportation fuel from water, wind, and solar
- Reduced emissions
- Higher efficiency
Meeting the promise requires
- Research
- Development
- Demonstration
- Government policies
UT is an academic leader in comprehensive hydrogen R&D and education
- Improved materials
- Better technology
- Engineering data
- Techno-economic analysis
Educated students are needed to convert emerging technology into a growing economy.
Why UT?
The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is a first-class public institution conducting high-impact research.
- #7 – Top U.S. Public Universities – Center for World University Rankings
- #32 – Best Global Universities – U.S. News & World Report
- $683M Research Expenditures (2018)
- 786 Patents Since 2008
The Cockrell School of Engineering (CSE) is the number one engineering program in Texas, and has been a global leader in technology advancement and engineering education for over a century.
- #10 – Best Engineering Program in the World – Academic Ranking of World Universities
- 15 Undergrad and Grad Programs Ranked in the Top 10 – U.S. News & World Report
- 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry – Professor John B. Goodenough
- 4 National Medal Winners
The Jackson School of Geosciences (JSG) is one of the country’s oldest geoscience departments and the world’s largest academic geosciences community.
- #7 – Earth Sciences Overall – U.S. News & World Report
- #1 – Geology – U.S. News & World Report
- #6 – Geophysics & Seismology – U.S. News & World Report
- #3 – Geology Worldwide – 2017 Center for World University Rankings
The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) is one of the largest colleges of science in the U.S., with a community of more than 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 700 faculty members.
- 12 Undergrad and Graduate Programs Ranked in the Top 10 – U.S. News & World Report
- 22 Members of the National Academies
- 3 Wolf Prize Winners, including the 2020 Wolf Prize in Physics – Professor Allan H. MacDonald
- 15 World-Class Centers and Institutes
The Energy Institute (EI) connects the resources of UT’s top-ranked programs— including engineering, business, geosciences, natural sciences, architecture, law and public affairs— to catalyze bold innovation around key energy challenges.
The Energy Institute is fueling a sustainable energy transition, bringing together the expertise of more than 450 energy-related faculty and researchers and over 30 energy centers and programs at UT, while supporting strategic collaboration with partners in government and industry.
