The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)—two leading professional societies dedicated to advancing the application of chemical engineering expertise internationally—have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on building a global alliance centered on the use of hydrogen.

The partnership will bolster the professional societies’ shared interest in supporting industry in the adoption of hydrogen as an energy carrier for industrial and commercial applications that will form a vital part of the road to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

The letter of intent was signed on 10 May 2023, by Billy B. Bardin, AIChE’s 2023 President and Global Climate Transition Director at Dow, and Trish Kerin, Director of the IChemE Safety Center, during the 2023 World Hydrogen Summit and Exhibition, taking place May 9–11 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

As part of the agreement, AIChE and IChemE will collaborate on a series of roadmapping activities and will solicit contributions from knowledgeable stakeholders such as manufacturers, academic and research institutions, technology and engineering providers, government entities, transportation experts, and end-users of hydrogen.

Hydrogen represents a promising, clean energy carrier for industry and transportation in the global transition toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Its adoption will require contributions from engineers and scientists across disciplines, as well as from government agencies, to create cost-efficient, safe, and sustainable means of hydrogen production, distribution, storage, and use, and to help industry and consumers transition safely and smoothly to a future where hydrogen is a commonly-used resource.