Auburn, Ala., Dec. 17, 2025 — A groundbreaking study led by researchers from Auburn University and Stanford University has unveiled critical insights into the global hydrogen economy. The study emphasizes the necessity to reduce hydrogen leakage and methane emissions to ensure the long-term sustainability and adoption of hydrogen as a viable alternative energy source.
Hydrogen is often hailed as a key player in the decarbonization of the global energy system, with the potential to power industrial production, homes, and infrastructure. However, the study warns that hydrogen’s interactions with other atmospheric gases could inadvertently contribute to climate warming, potentially offsetting its environmental benefits.
Understanding the Hydrogen-Methane Interaction
Published in the prestigious journal Nature, the study co-led by Auburn’s assistant professor Zutao Ouyang and Stanford’s Rob Jackson, highlights the complex dynamics of hydrogen in the atmosphere. Unlike carbon dioxide and methane, hydrogen does not directly trap heat. However, it can indirectly accelerate atmospheric warming, heating the atmosphere 11 times faster than carbon dioxide over a century, and 37 times faster over two decades.
“This indirect warming raises concerns about the climate consequences of potential hydrogen leakage,” said Ouyang. “The climate benefits of a future hydrogen economy will depend on minimizing leakage through the hydrogen value chain and reducing natural gas (methane) emissions.”
The Global Hydrogen Budget
The research, part of the Global Carbon Project, involved collaboration with scientists from over 30 international institutions, including those in France, Australia, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Austria. The team conducted the first comprehensive assessment of global hydrogen sources and sinks to understand changes in atmospheric hydrogen and its climate implications.
Pep Canadell, executive director of the Global Carbon Project, noted the extensive data collection and modeling efforts that informed the study. The researchers projected future hydrogen emissions and atmospheric levels under various scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), using a simplified Earth system model to assess potential climate impacts.
The Role of Methane
Since hydrogen production began to rise three decades ago, atmospheric hydrogen concentrations have increased by approximately 70% from preindustrial levels, stabilizing briefly before rising again around 2010. This increase is attributed to hydrogen leakage and the oxidation of methane emissions, a process that surprisingly contributes to atmospheric hydrogen levels.
Methane emissions, particularly from fossil fuel activities, play a significant role in this dynamic. Methane and hydrogen share a common atmospheric cleansing pathway, and methane oxidation produces hydrogen, creating a feedback loop that can elevate hydrogen concentrations when methane emissions rise.
“The largest source of hydrogen in the world is the oxidation of methane in our atmosphere,” explained Jackson. “More hydrogen means more methane, and more methane means more hydrogen, extending methane’s lifecycle and increasing indirect climate warming.”
Implications for a Hydrogen Economy
The study underscores the need to address the unintended warming effects of hydrogen and methane interactions to build trust in hydrogen as a decarbonization strategy. By quantifying these interactions, the researchers aim to enhance future climate scenarios and support decision-makers in minimizing economic losses and climate risks associated with hydrogen leakage.
With the study’s findings, policymakers, industries, and researchers are better equipped to establish safe hydrogen and methane leakage thresholds, develop effective regulations, and prioritize cost-efficient mitigation strategies.
“The significance of this international study cannot be overstated,” said Janaki Alavalapati, Dean of Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. “The team’s comprehensive assessment can help ensure that the global expansion of hydrogen aligns with a climate-safe and sustainable energy transition.”
The research was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford’s Global Methane Office, and Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment.
Auburn University, recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship and interdisciplinary research, continues to play a pivotal role in addressing pressing global challenges through innovative research and collaboration.
