GE Vernova's Advanced Research business has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to receive an award as part of their new H2SENSE Exploratory Topic, aimed at supporting innovative approaches for H₂ gas detection and quantification across the H₂ supply chain. The growth of the H₂ economy is anticipated to play a crucial role in global decarbonization efforts, necessitating advanced atmospheric H₂ sensing technologies to mitigate any potential near-term warming effects that could result from a larger H₂ economy.

H₂ is a low carbon energy source and decarbonization agent for industry and transportation. H₂, though not a direct greenhouse gas due to its inability to absorb infrared light, can indirectly extend the lifetime of greenhouse gases such as methane and ozone.

“The ability to detect and quantify H₂ will enable the safe and economical expansion of the H₂ economy while mitigating its climate impact,” said ARPA-E Director Dr. Evelyn Wang. “These highly sensitive and selective H₂ sensors combined with quantitative modeling will enable industry to achieve these goals.”

“GE Vernova Advanced Research will deploy a high-fidelity and cost-effective gas sensing technology based on dielectric excitation of sensing materials and will couple it with physics enhanced analytics to detect and identify H₂ leaks at industrial sites,” said Radislav A. Potyrailo, Senior Principal Scientist with GE Vernova's Advanced Research and the Principal Investigator on the H2-LOCATE project. “This technology will differentiate and rank multiple leaks with a spatial resolution of 10 meters with a detection sensitivity of 5-10 parts per billion of H₂ in air. The cost-effective and simple deployment of these H₂ leak monitors will support the evaluation of H₂ sites across diverse geographic locations and climate conditions, ensuring safe, environmentally sound, and economically viable growth of the H₂ industry.”

This $2,700,000 project, titled "H2-LOCATE: H₂ Leak LOCAlization and QuanTification Using Physics-Enhanced Analytics and Fence-Line Monitoring," is being conducted at GE Vernova's Advanced Research Center in Niskayuna, NY.

The initiative underscores GE Vernova's commitment to advancing sustainable technologies and providing critical solutions to support the expanding H₂ economy.