The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the University of California, Riverside, along with several industry partners, have launched the Hydrogen Engine Alliance of North America, or H2EA-NA.
Hydrogen has the potential to power internal combustion engines, including on-road and off-road vehicles and equipment, and large marine engines.
Despite its promise to reduce climate change emissions such as carbon dioxide and harmful pollutants, hydrogen has largely remained underutilized in the United States.
The new alliance will promote hydrogen as a viable alternative fuel that can complement internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles while supporting the transition to electric and other zero emission technologies.
“Using hydrogen in internal combustion engines offers a low-carbon, long-term solution for transportation, particularly in applications where battery electric or fuel cell vehicles may not meet consumer performance requirements,” says AndréBoehman, the U-M Vennema Professor of Engineering, professor of mechanical engineering, and director of the Walter E. Lay Automotive Engineering Laboratory.
A recent demonstration by the Southwest Research Institute of hydrogen ICE technology in a heavy-duty truck showed ultra-low emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx, which can react in the atmosphere with other pollutants to form lung irritating ozone.
The NOx levels were far below those achievable with conventional diesel-powered trucks, which reinforces the potential for hydrogen to help achieve meaningful reductions in transportation-related emissions.
Moving forward, Boehman will serve as a co-director of H2EA-NA alongside Georgios Karavalakis, a UC Riverside professor of chemical and environmental engineering. Karavalakis’ work focuses on combustion engines, low- and zero-carbon fuels, and transportation emissions, while Boehman specializes in alternative fuels, fuel production, and energy conversion system thermodynamics.
“Hydrogen is a powerful fuel option when used in internal combustion engines, and opens an effective pathway to a cleaner energy future,” says principal investigator Wayne Miller, a founding scientist of the alliance whose expertise spans zero-carbon fuels, transportation emissions, and marine systems.
Boehman says the alliance will promote the advantages of hydrogen-powered ICE vehicles. “By fostering innovation and collaboration across sectors, H2EA-NA will ensure that ICEs contribute meaningfully to North America’s hydrogen ecosystem and transportation goals,” he says.
H2EA-NA seeks to help the U.S. catch up to countries such as China, Germany, and Japan, which are at the forefront of hydrogen fuel development. For example, Germany’s Allianz Wasserstoffmotor, created in 2021, and the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, launched a year earlier, serve roles similar to H2EA-NA.
“The U.S. has immense potential to lead in hydrogen fuel innovation, but significant barriers in infrastructure, policy and public awareness have slowed progress,” Karavalakis says. “While the technologies exist, they are costly due to complexity and the need for expensive raw materials.”
As part of its mission to foster collaboration and education, H2EA-NA will host the 2025 Hydrogen Engine Alliance Conference from May 1-2, 2025, at the California Air Resources Board headquarters in Riverside, Calif.
The event will feature a networking dinner on May 1, providing an opportunity for attendees to connect with industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers. The full-day conference on May 2 will include discussions on advancements in hydrogen engine technology, emissions reduction strategies, infrastructure development, and policy initiatives critical to the growth of the hydrogen ecosystem.
H2EA-NA will be funded through annual membership fees from participating companies, with funds directed to the nonprofit U.C. Riverside Foundation. The fees will be split equally between UC Riverside and U-M to support alliance operations.
By bringing together leaders from the automotive, energy, and government sectors, H2EA-NA seeks to educate the public about hydrogen’s potential in the U.S. and build support for hydrogen infrastructure development. Other founding members of the alliance include industry partners with expertise in building efficient engines to operate with hydrogen.
Membership provides access to the latest technologies, market trends, and evolving industry standards.
For more information and to inquire about a membership, visit H2EA-NA.
