24 October 2025
The cours, “Sustainable Foundations of Green Hydrogen Technologies and Infrastructure,” is developed by Oleksii Milenin, Professor at the Kyiv Academic University and Leading Researcher at the E.O. Paton Institute of Electric Welding of the NAS of Ukraine.
“Hydrogen is the strategic fuel of the future — a clean energy source that reduces dependence on fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions,” says Professor Milenin. “The European Hydrogen Strategy directly identifies Ukraine as a potential key partner for producing and transporting green hydrogen to EU countries.”
Ukraine possesses one of the largest gas transmission systems in Europe, which could become the foundation of its hydrogen energy sector. This opens significant opportunities for postwar recovery through investment, participation in European programs, and the development of innovation infrastructure. “But to achieve this, we must understand how to integrate Ukraine’s gas infrastructure into the European hydrogen network — what can be adapted and what must be redesigned from scratch,” emphasizes Milenin.
Registration available via the link below.
The course “Sustainable Foundations of Green Hydrogen Technologies and Infrastructure” provides a comprehensive understanding of green hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and infrastructure reliability. It integrates sustainable engineering principles, materials science, energy systems, and lifecycle assessment (LCA), enabling systemic thinking about hydrogen’s role in the low-carbon transition.
The purpose of the course is to develop in learners an interdisciplinary understanding of hydrogen as a key element of sustainable energy systems and to build practical competencies in designing, assessing, and operating hydrogen technologies according to safety and sustainability standards.
The course is intended for Master’s-level students, early-career researchers, and engineers working in energy, materials science, and sustainability who seek to develop advanced deep-tech expertise in green hydrogen technologies.
Learners will acquire:
physical, chemical, and material-science fundamentals of hydrogen production, storage, and distribution;
engineering solutions for adapting pipelines and infrastructure to hydrogen blends;
sustainability assessment skills, including LCA and environmental performance indicators;
deep-tech competencies for designing safe, efficient, and low-carbon hydrogen systems;
methods of predictive maintenance to enhance the durability and performance of hydrogen infrastructure.
The syllabus includes:
green hydrogen production and storage technologies;
hydrogen compatibility of materials and hydrogen embrittlement phenomena;
engineering of pipelines and pressure vessels;
lifecycle assessment, carbon footprint analysis, and hydrogen economics;
risk assessment, safety standards, and regulatory frameworks;
practical case studies, calculations, and challenge-based learning tasks.
Teaching includes lectures, analytical assignments, case studies, and assessments designed to apply deep-tech knowledge to real engineering challenges.
The course meets the Deep Tech Talent Initiative criteria through:
developing knowledge of innovations in sustainable energy and advanced materials;
analysing how deep-tech solutions address complex engineering and environmental challenges;
applying an interdisciplinary approach across engineering, materials science, economics, and sustainability;
fostering professional and entrepreneurial skills for implementing deep-tech innovations;
integrating challenge-based learning with real hydrogen technology problems;
encouraging reflection on sustainability, safety, and societal impacts of hydrogen technologies.
The course provides Master’s-level deep-tech training, combining rigorous scientific foundations with practical engineering competencies and innovation-focused thinking necessary for developing safe and sustainable hydrogen infrastructure.
A comprehensive course on sustainable green hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. Integrates materials science, energy systems, and LCA to build practical engineering skills for designing safe and low-carbon hydrogen solutions.
Part 1. Principles of Sustainable Economy for Hydrogen Energy.
Module 1. Introduction to Sustainability in Energy Systems
- UN Sustainable Development Goals and their interconnections with energy transition
- Systems thinking and the role of engineers in sustainable development
- Principles of sustainable engineering and energy justice
Module 2. Life Cycle Thinking for Sustainable Design
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and application to hydrogen technologies
- Life Cycle Management (LCM) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC)
- Design for Environment (DfE) and Eco-Design principles
- Product-Service System (PSS) and Integrated Product Policy (IPP)
- Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and carbon footprint accounting
Module 3. Circular Economy and Decarbonization Pathways
- Circular economy in infrastructure, materials, and energy systems
- Resource efficiency, waste valorization, and renewable resource cycles
- Carbon neutrality vs. Net Zero strategies and accounting
- Power-to-X technologies (Power-to-Gas, Power-to-Ammonia, Power-to-Liquids)
Module 4. Hydrogen in the Sustainable Energy Landscape
- Role of hydrogen in the clean energy transition
- Overview of hydrogen production methods (electrolysis, biomass, photochemical, etc.)
- Hydrogen storage technologies (compressed, liquid, hydrides, porous materials)
- Transportation and grid balancing (hydrogen blending, fuel cells, and synthetic fuels)
- Sustainability trade-offs: environmental, economic, and social impacts
Module 5. Hydrogen Economy Metrics
- Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH): methodology, sensitivity factors
- Energy Return on Investment (EROI) for hydrogen production pathways
- Carbon intensity and emission factors per kg of H₂
- Socio-economic indicators for hydrogen economy performance
Part 2. Hydrogen Properties, Risks, and Material Challenges
Module 6. Atomic and Molecular Hydrogen
- Hydrogen isotopes (protium, deuterium, tritium) and molecular forms (ortho, para)
- Physical and thermodynamic properties: phases, energy density, compressibility
- Hydrogen solubility and diffusion in solids
- Interaction with structural materials
Module 7. Flammability and Explosivity of Hydrogen
- Fire diamond and hazard identification
- Lower and upper flammability limits
- Minimum ignition energy and typical ignition sources
- Explosion dynamics and safety distances
Module 8. Hydrogen Leakage and Detection
- Hydrogen permeability and kinetic diameter
- Density, viscosity, and leakage behavior through seals and joints
- Detection methods: catalytic, thermal conductivity, optical, electrochemical sensors
- Strategies for leak prevention and early warning systems
Module 9. Hydrogen Embrittlement of Materials
- Mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement: absorption, diffusion, trapping, decohesion
- Influence of diffusible hydrogen on mechanical properties
- Microstructural sensitivity (grain boundaries, inclusions, dislocation density)
- Embrittlement testing and predictive modeling
Module 10. Materials Compatible with Hydrogen
- Overview of candidate materials for hydrogen service: steels, copper, vanadium, nickel, titanium, polymers, composites
- Influence of temperature, pressure, and hydrogen concentration
- Coatings and surface treatments to improve resistance
- New materials and additive manufacturing for hydrogen components
Module 11. Hydrogen vs. Other Fuels
Comparative thermodynamic and safety parameters (H₂, CH₄, C₃H₈, gasoline vapor)
- Autoignition temperature, flammability range, and detonability
- Environmental impacts of combustion products
- Safety design implications and mitigation principles
Part 3. Engineering and Integrity Foundations for Hydrogen Service.
Module 12. Piping Systems Design Requirements
- Design codes and calculation methods for hydrogen pipelines
- Design pressure, temperature derating, and material performance factors
- Pipeline location classification and risk-based design
- Prescriptive vs. performance-based approaches
Module 13. Technical Condition Assessment of Pipelines
- Non-destructive testing methods for hydrogen pipelines
- Typical defects: cracks, corrosion metal losses, geometry anomalies
- Schematization and allowability assessment of defects
- Static and fatigue strength assessment for welded joints and heat-affected zones
Module 14. Maintenance Strategies for Pipelines and Storage Systems
- Types of maintenance: reactive, preventive, conditional, predictive, prescriptive
- In-service repair techniques and risk mitigation
- Hydrogen-related cold cracking and repair operability
- Lifecycle management and integrity assurance
Module 15. Regulatory Framework and International Standards
- Key regulatory and design documents:
- ASME B31.12 (Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines)
- API RP 941 (Steels for Hydrogen Service)
- IGC Doc 121/14 (Hydrogen Safety)
- SA HB 225, ISO/NP TS 19875-1 (Hydrogen Infrastructure)
- International harmonization and standardization challenges
he course “Sustainable Foundations of Green Hydrogen Technologies and Infrastructure” is delivered entirely in an online format through the educational platform of the Kyiv Academic University. It consists of 15 video lectures prepared and taught by the course author, complemented by presentation materials, reading lists, and interactive assignments to support self-directed learning. Throughout the course, participants can communicate directly with the lecturer via the platform’s built-in messaging and discussion features to seek clarification, request guidance on specific topics, or discuss advanced applications. Periodic live Q&A sessions and consultations are also organized to encourage interaction, peer exchange, and feedback.
