Hydrogen ProtoHub Receives Hydrogen Safety Excellence Award; Expands Industry Collaboration Through New Program
The Hydrogen ProtoHub, co-managed by GTI Energy and The Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, has been selected as the project recipient of the Robert Zalosh Hydrogen Safety Excellence Award from the Center for Hydrogen Safety, an AIChE technical community.
The award recognizes exemplary commitment to hydrogen safety through rigorous hazard analysis, code compliance, and disciplined operations. At the ProtoHub, safety has been embedded at every stage of buildout, from design and construction through ongoing research and training.
Michael Lewis, Director of the Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said:
We are honored to be recognized for this award.
”Hydrogen safety is at the forefront of our research activities at the ProtoHub, and as a university research facility, we must be committed to providing a safe environment for our staff and students.The ProtoHub demonstrates that hydrogen infrastructure can be developed with the same operational discipline expected of other critical energy system. As deployment grows, the sector will increasingly depend on documented operating experience and integrated system validation, not just individual technology milestones.”
Located at The University of Texas at Austin’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the ProtoHub operates as a fully integrated hydrogen system. The facility includes on-site generation, storage, distribution, along with multiple end-uses such as power generation, mobility, and natural gas blending. The site was built to serve as a proving ground where advanced hydrogen technologies can be tested, integrated, and demonstrated within a controlled, research-driven environment.
The recognition comes as the ProtoHub launches its Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP), a structured collaboration model that brings industry partners into an Executive Advisory Council to help set technical priorities, review research goals, and support ongoing safety standards.
Susan Stuver, Director of Collaborative Programs at GTI Energy, said:
The Industrial Affiliates Program reflects the reality that scaling hydrogen responsibly requires ongoing coordination across stakeholders,
“As projects move beyond demonstration, industry engagement in technical review and long-term planning becomes essential to reducing uncertainty and strengthening confidence in deployment.”
The ProtoHub is the evolution of the federally supported H2@Scale in Texas and Beyond project, which included more than 20 industry partners.
The new IAP strengthens that collaborative framework by establishing a durable structure for shared governance and continuous technical engagement. This industry-driven platform helps ensure that hydrogen systems perform reliably and maintain public confidence as deployment expands.
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Hydrogen ProtoHub Receives Hydrogen Safety Excellence Award; Expands Industry Collaboration Through New Program, source
