UC Irvine, A Climate for Change: Fueling the Future

How UC Irvine Is Powering California’s Clean Hydrogen Revolution

March 17, 2025 - Hydrogen is a simple, yet powerful molecule. With just one proton and one electron, it’s the first element on the periodic table. It’s the most abundant element in the universe and accounts for 75% of the universe’s elemental mass. But perhaps, most importantly—for the future of our health, environment, and economy—hydrogen is the lightest element in existence.

Hydrogen’s lightness may hold the key to finally converting the industries that have been the hardest to decarbonize—industries like long-haul trucking, aviation, shipping, and glass and steel production. Touted as the “fuel of the future,” hydrogen offers solutions where other technologies have thus far fallen short.

Hydrogen’s potential has been understood for decades, but its path to prominence has been blocked by high production costs and infrastructure challenges. But all that is about to change. Backed by billions in federal funding and innovations in renewable hydrogen production, what was once a theoretical idea is now emerging as a transformative economic and environmental solution.

At the center of this shift is ARCHES—the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems. ARCHES is a public-private partnership dedicated to building a sustainable clean hydrogen hub for California and beyond. Headquartered at UC Irvine, ARCHES was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in October 2023 as one of seven regions to lead the expansion of the nation’s hydrogen infrastructure. With $1.2 billion in DOE funding and over $11.4 billion in matching public and private investments, ARCHES is driving a statewide initiative to accelerate renewable hydrogen projects and establish the infrastructure to support them.

“ARCHES represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not only revolutionize clean energy but to create lasting economic benefits for Southern California.”

– Stephan Erkelens, President and CEO, RevHubOC

This focus on renewable hydrogen highlights a key challenge: while hydrogen itself is a clean fuel, its production has historically relied on carbon-intensive processes. To unlock hydrogen’s true potential as a green energy source, it’s critical to address how it’s made. While hydrogen may be the most abundant element in the universe, it does not naturally occur in its pure form. It’s always bound to other elements in compounds like water. While hydrogen as a fuel source is carbon-free, the process of creating it has traditionally been anything but clean. For decades, the dominant method—steam reformation of methane—has released substantial greenhouse gases, undermining hydrogen’s environmental potential.

A solution to this is green hydrogen or hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources. Green hydrogen unlocks the benefits of hydrogen without all the dirty byproducts. The expansion of renewable energy sources has been crucial in lowering renewable power prices and, consequently, the cost of green hydrogen.

By transitioning from traditional energy sources to “clean hydrogen”—a term that encompasses low-carbon methods and carbon capture technologies—the environmental benefits of ARCHES projects will be staggering. These initiatives are projected to eliminate 25 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, or the equivalent to removing 5.5 million gasoline-powered vehicles from the road. Beyond reducing emissions, ARCHES aims to leverage local renewable resources to improve the quality of life for communities disproportionately impacted by fossil fuel pollution. Notably, the program is committed to directing at least 40% of its benefits to disadvantaged communities, ensuring a more equitable clean energy future.

As the nation’s largest DOE-funded hydrogen hub, California’s ARCHES is projected to generate $2.95 billion annually in economic value by 2030, including substantial health and healthcare cost savings from reduced pollution. California is also expected to lead the nation in hydrogen jobs creation, with over 220,000 well-paying positions concentrated along major transportation corridors and within underserved communities statewide.

“California is building more, faster to accelerate clean energy projects, cut pollution, and deliver good jobs—and we’re doing it at a scale unmatched in America.”

– California Governor Gavin Newsom

Given UC Irvine’s long history of leadership and research in the field of hydrogen, ARCHES chose to locate its statewide headquarters in UC Irvine Research Park. Anchoring ARCHES adjacent to the university presents unprecedented opportunities to position Orange County as the global leader in clean hydrogen for years to come.

UC Irvine researchers Jack Brouwer, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the Clean Energy Institute, and Plamen Atanassov, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, played pivotal roles in securing ARCHES’ winning bid to the DOE. Both currently serve as interim directors for ARCHES’ business development. Atanassov, who was instrumental in establishing the European Union’s hydrogen roadmap, has brought valuable insights into the transformative potential of hydrogen infrastructure for California.

At the Irvine Clean Energy Conference on September 18, 2024, ARCHES CEO Angelina Galiteva acknowledged UC Irvine’s pivotal role in the initiative.

“ARCHES wouldn’t have happened without UC Irvine participating and aiding our efforts,” she said.

“Sustain SoCal has been innovating, collaborating and educating on hydrogen solutions for over a decade. The establishment of ARCHES here in Irvine is indicative that our small part in this has paid off and sets the stage for our region to lead the nation in the hydrogen evolution.”

– Scott Kitcher, President & CEO, Sustain SoCal

The good news is that the technology for clean hydrogen energy is already here. It’s been here for a long time. Fuel cells were first envisioned in 1839 and moved into real-world application in the 1960s when NASA developed them to generate electricity for spacecraft during the Gemini and Apollo missions. Forty years later, President George W. Bush pledged more than a billion dollars in federal funding to spur widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology and to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. This national push for hydrogen energy laid the groundwork for institutions like UC Irvine to emerge as global leaders in clean hydrogen research, ultimately leading to its designation as the headquarters for ARCHES.

Much of UC Irvine’s expertise in clean energy can be attributed to Scott Samuelson, aerospace and environmental engineering distinguished professor emeritus with a joint appointment in civil and environmental engineering. Samuelson joined the university in 1970, laying the foundation for the university’s leadership in this field. With support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission, Samuelson founded the UC Irvine National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC) in 1998, the first university-based fuel cell research program in the United States. He went on to establish UC Irvine’s Advanced Power and Energy Program (now the UC Irvine Clean Energy Institute), which has leveraged decades of experience in clean energy research. This laid the groundwork for significant achievements, including establishing UC Irvine’s hydrogen fueling station, the busiest hydrogen vehicle refueling station in the world.

In 2010, Samuelson was awarded the UC Irvine Medal, the highest honor awarded by the university, for pioneering fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen fueling technology. In 2011, he was recognized by President Barack Obama as a “Champion of Change.”

According to Carolyn Stephens, managing director of enterprise collaborations at UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation, “Samuelson was a true visionary who not only had the breadth and depth of scientific knowledge, but the business acumen to put theory into practice at scale.”

California faces growing challenges from climate change, which jeopardize the reliability and safety of its energy infrastructure. Recurring wildfires and grid congestion have led to frequent brownouts and blackouts, highlighting the state’s energy vulnerabilities. Despite these obstacles, California has made significant progress in its clean energy transition. Today, about 60% of the state’s annual electricity comes from renewable sources such as solar and wind. In a landmark achievement, July 2024 marked the 100th day of a 144-day period where California met 100% of its electricity demand with renewable energy—a compelling demonstration of the state’s potential for a fully renewable energy grid.

However, renewable energy production isn’t always consistent. Even in sunny, wind-swept California, there are days when the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow. There’s even a German word for this phenomenon: dunkelflaute or “dark doldrums.” These lulls in renewable energy generation create a significant challenge for maintaining a reliable and uninterrupted energy supply. To bridge the gap, California turns to coal or natural gas plants—an approach that undermines the state’s ambitious goal of a carbon-neutral economy by 2045.

Hydrogen offers a promising solution to this challenge. Excess renewable electricity can be transformed into hydrogen fuel, which can then be stored and converted back into electricity when needed. This creates a clean, reliable backup source during periods of low renewable energy production. Integrating hydrogen storage into the energy grid reduces dependence on fossil fuels, enhances grid resilience, and ensures renewable energy is available year-round. While batteries are ideal for short-term storage, such as storing energy from day to night, hydrogen excels at storing energy over longer periods. It allows wind or solar power generated in the summer to be preserved and used during the winter.

This kind of forward-thinking innovation is exactly what UC Irvine excels at—bridging cutting-edge research with practical applications to address global challenges. An example of this is UC Irvine’s Clean Energy Institute collaboration with industry leaders like Toyota, KB Home, Southern California Edison, and local governments through the Department of Energy’s Connected Communities project. Together, they’ve piloted a microgrid project in Menifee, CA that demonstrates the viability of microgrids as part of a cleaner energy future.

These microgrids incorporate renewable energy sources like solar power combined with battery storage and hydrogen fuel cells, where UC Irvine has significant expertise. The goal is to create a model that can be replicated in other communities to reduce reliance on the larger power grid, enhance energy reliability, and support California’s broader objectives for carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability.

Another example of UC Irvine’s real-world impact is FirstElement Fuel, a company rooted in UC Irvine research that now operates the world’s largest network of hydrogen fueling stations under the True Zero brand. By the end of 2024, FirstElement will expand its network from 31 to 80 stations, with the goal of making hydrogen a mainstream fuel source, particularly for sectors like aviation and long-haul trucking, which have proven difficult to electrify.

“University researchers have helped develop hydrogen technology to the point that it’s now poised to play a key role in decarbonizing our economy, here in California and around the world.”

– University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D.

Early government investments ultimately steadied the solar power industry, allowing it to grow into a largely self-sufficient market. While incentives for residential solar installations remain, the sector now thrives on its own momentum. The goal is that hydrogen energy will follow a similar trajectory.

With the recent creation of ARCHES and the other hydrogen hubs across the nation, the groundwork is being laid for a similar cycle of growth: public funding drawing in private investors, expanding the market, and educating both the industry and consumers. Some skeptics remain, but the potential for hydrogen to replicate solar’s success is tangible.

UC Irvine’s leadership in hydrogen innovation is demonstrating that the transition to a zero-carbon economy is not just possible, but within reach. The challenges ahead—scaling technology, building infrastructure, and fostering public understanding—are significant. Yet, with collaborative initiatives like ARCHES and the effort of researchers, industry partners, and policymakers, California and UC Irvine are laying the groundwork for hydrogen to play a key role in the global shift to clean energy.

As the urgency to combat climate change grows, so does the opportunity for innovation. The work being done today at UC Irvine and through ARCHES is more than an investment in clean energy; it’s a commitment to the environment, economic resilience, and a future powered by sustainable solutions. The message is clear: hydrogen is no longer just the fuel of tomorrow—it’s the fuel of today.

- Jill Kato