UK Hydrogen Development Faces a Hidden Challenge: Real-Time Gas Monitoring and In-Line Analysis Could Be the Missing Link

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As the United Kingdom pushes forward with bold plans to become a global leader in clean energy, hydrogen has emerged as a critical part of the solution. From the East Coast Hydrogen Cluster to the HyNet North West project, investments are pouring into electrolysis plants, hydrogen-ready pipelines, and fuel cell technology.

But while the public conversation focuses on scaling production and deploying hydrogen-powered vehicles, a more technical—but equally vital—issue is quietly coming into view: how to measure gas purity and composition inside hydrogen systems in real time, without compromising safety or efficiency.

This challenge could determine whether the UK hydrogen economy lives up to its promise—or struggles with costly bottlenecks.

Green Hydrogen and the Need for In-Line Monitoring

Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity, a process known as electrolysis. It’s emissions-free at the point of production and considered essential for decarbonising industries like steelmaking, chemical processing, and heavy transport.

But once the hydrogen is produced—often at pressures exceeding 100 bar—it must be monitored closely to ensure its purity, efficiency, and safety. This is particularly important when it comes to oxygen in hydrogen analysis, as even trace amounts of oxygen in a hydrogen stream can pose serious safety risks, including the potential for combustion in confined environments.

Historically, British hydrogen plants and pilot facilities have used extraction-based gas analyzers, where samples are pulled from the system, depressurised, cooled, and analysed externally. But this method is time-consuming, expensive, and increasingly out of step with the needs of large-scale, dynamic energy systems.

The Case for Real-Time, In-Situ Gas Monitoring

Enter in-line monitoring—a new generation of technologies that allow continuous, in-situ measurement of gas composition inside pressurised systems. Unlike legacy methods, these systems don’t require gas extraction, pressure reduction, or complex sample conditioning setups. They operate directly within the process line, providing immediate feedback.

This is particularly useful for detecting oxygen in hydrogen streams, ensuring both safety and compliance with UK regulations such as ATEX and SIL standards for explosive atmospheres.

Modern oxygen analyzers designed for in-line deployment use techniques like quenched fluorescence, a method that relies on optical signals to detect oxygen concentration without making physical contact with the gas. These analyzers are:

  • Highly responsive
  • Resistant to temperature and pressure variations
  • Certified for hazardous industrial environments

Similarly, hydrogen analyzers based on thermal conductivity principles are now being deployed in systems handling high-purity hydrogen. They offer rapid feedback on H₂ levels even in complex gas mixtures, including air or oxygen contaminants, and are essential for maintaining the integrity of gas streams under dynamic operating conditions.

A UK-Centric Problem: Weather, Moisture and Grid Fluctuations

One of the often-overlooked challenges of operating hydrogen infrastructure in the UK is its climate. With frequent humidity fluctuations, cold winters, and increasingly variable renewable power inputs, British electrolyser systems face unique stability issues.

Humidity, in particular, interferes with conventional gas sensors, distorting readings and leading to errors in oxygen and hydrogen concentration reporting. In response, engineers are now adopting sensor fusion methods—combining multiple streams of sensor data (e.g., from both oxygen analyzers and hydrogen analyzers) to validate and correct measurements in real time.

This approach is enabling hydrogen operators to detect issues like:

  • Water vapor interference
  • Membrane degradation
  • Unexpected oxygen ingress

And to do so without relying on laboratory testing or offline diagnostics.

Safety Standards Driving Change in the UK Hydrogen Sector

With projects across Teesside, South Wales, and the Humber region set to come online over the next few years, UK hydrogen producers face growing regulatory pressure to demonstrate that systems are not only efficient, but safe under normal and fault conditions.

Standards like:

  • ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU)
  • IECEx certification
  • SIL-2 functional safety ratings

…are increasingly non-negotiable for equipment installed in UK hydrogen hubs.

In this context, in-line oxygen analyzers and real-time hydrogen monitoring systems aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential for permitting, commissioning, and insurance approval.

Modcon Systems Ltd. Leading the Way with Advanced Process Analyzers

Modcon Systems Ltd., headquartered in London, is making significant strides in addressing these critical challenges in hydrogen production. The company has developed a line of advanced process analyzers designed to operate efficiently in the harsh conditions of hydrogen production plants. Their oxygen analyzers and hydrogen analyzers are designed for high-pressure environments and work without the need for gas extraction or complicated sample conditioning.

But Modcon’s contribution goes beyond hardware. Their AI-enabled solutions take process monitoring to the next level. Using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), Modcon’s platform continuously adapts to optimize hydrogen production in real time, responding to fluctuations in renewable power inputs, system pressure, and gas composition. By using real-time data from these analyzers, Modcon’s solutions ensure that UK hydrogen plants can maximize efficiency, extend equipment lifespan, and minimize waste.

Modcon’s approach aligns perfectly with the UK’s goals of creating a sustainable and scalable hydrogen infrastructure, and their commitment to safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability positions them as a key player in the rapidly developing hydrogen sector.

Optimising Hydrogen Production with Artificial Intelligence

Beyond monitoring, the most forward-thinking UK projects are looking to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into process control. Systems using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) can now optimise electrolysis in real time by learning from sensor feedback and adjusting operational parameters accordingly.

These AI systems act as adaptive control engines. They can:

  • Reduce energy consumption per kilogram of hydrogen produced
  • Adjust for grid fluctuations due to wind or solar variability
  • Extend the lifespan of electrolyser components

For facilities that integrate intermittent renewables, such as offshore wind farms linked to onshore hydrogen plants, this real-time adaptability is especially valuable.

Digital Twins and Predictive Maintenance

Several UK hydrogen developers are also exploring the use of digital twins—virtual models of their green hydrogen production systems that mirror live plant conditions. These twins use continuous data from in-line analyzers and AI models to:

  • Predict when maintenance is needed
  • Simulate “what-if” scenarios under different weather or load conditions
  • Flag anomalies such as leaks, contamination, or hardware degradation

In practice, this could help prevent costly downtime or accidents in multi-megawatt hydrogen hubs. And as the UK works toward its target of 10GW of low-carbon hydrogen by 2030, these operational efficiencies will play a central role in scaling the sector responsibly.

From Innovation to Infrastructure: The Path Forward

If the UK hydrogen industry is to meet its ambitious growth targets, it will need to adopt not just clean technologies—but smart ones. In-line monitoring and intelligent gas analysis are foundational tools that enable operators to:

  • Avoid catastrophic failures
  • Maximise hydrogen yield
  • Maintain compliance in high-risk environments
  • Reduce OPEX across the project lifecycle

While less visible than electrolyser stacks or hydrogen buses, these technologies could prove to be the backbone of reliable hydrogen infrastructure in Britain.

As one project engineer from the Midlands put it, “We’ve invested in green hydrogen production, but without in-line analytics, we’re flying blind.”

Conclusion: Precision Enables Progress

The UK is entering a new phase of energy transition—one that moves beyond demonstration projects and toward nationwide hydrogen integration. As infrastructure grows in scale and complexity, the ability to see clearly inside pressurised hydrogen systems becomes more than a technical detail—it becomes a national priority.

The adoption of oxygen analyzers, real-time hydrogen analyzers, and AI-enabled monitoring platforms will define the next chapter of the UK’s green energy story. With smart, scalable, and certified tools in place, Britain is better positioned to make hydrogen not only clean, but safe, efficient, and future-ready.

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