Resources
We’ve gathered top reports from around the world focused on hydrogen and provided a summary of each along with links to the reports for more information. We’ll be adding more resources over time, so continue to check back for the latest news and research findings.
NASA Material Report on Hydrogen Embrittlement
Released in April 2016, this NASA report explores hydrogen embrittlement, which is a decrease in the toughness of a metal caused by exposure to hydrogen or gases containing hydrogen, such as hydrogen sulfide. The report outlines:
- Physical indicators of embrittlement, such as singular sharp cracks
- Environmental factors that influence embrittlement, such as pressure, temperature, and hydrogen gas purity
- Methods for preventing and controlling hydrogen damage
IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
The World Energy Outlook explores different scenarios based on assumptions, such as no changes in energy policy, and projects outcomes for each of those scenarios. The projections that are most relevant to gas utilities in the US are those showing the mix of gaseous fuels that will be used in the future.
- Demand for natural gas will flatten and potentially decrease over the comping decades
- Interest in hydrogen has drastically increased, as seen in supportive policies and funding
- Building a hydrogen supply chain is a top priority for developed countries, especially hydrogen production and transport
Blending Hydrogen into Natural Gas Pipeline Networks: A Review of Key Issues
This NREL report published in 2013 analyzes the implications of blending hydrogen into natural gas systems, from distribution to end use. Their key findings are:
- Utilizing concentrations of hydrogen less than 15% appears to be viable without posing major safety risks or changes required at end-use devices, such as household appliances
- When it comes to distribution, the suitable blend concentration will vary depending on the pipeline materials and overall health
- Any introduction of hydrogen blends into the pipeline network system will require extensive testing in advance as well as on-going monitoring and maintenance
- These costs will need to be measured against the benefits of hydrogen blending
IEA: The Future of Hydrogen
G20 commissioned IEA to produce this report published in June 2019. It assesses the viability of hydrogen in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and outlines the policies needed to drive wider adoption of it.
They concluded that:
- Hydrogen can contribute significantly to decarbonization if adopted by large-scale sectors such as transport and power generation
- Hydrogen can play a key role in stabilizing power supplies by supplementing the variable output from renewables like wind and solar
They made several recommendations to government and industry that could affect gas utilities, including:
- Focus on existing industrial ports to create lower cost hydrogen hubs
- Leverage existing natural gas infrastructure for distributing hydrogen
- Foster an increase in hydrogen availability and lower cost by establishing international standards and shipping route