The hidden science driving the green and digital transition

Typically ignored, metrology—the science of measurement—underpins numerous facets of each day life, from precisely telling the time to making sure the safety of digital communications.

As Europe ramps up efforts to transition to a greener economic system, hydrogen is taking heart stage as a clear vitality resolution, significantly for decarbonizing sectors like transport and heavy trade. However turning hydrogen right into a dependable, large-scale vitality supply is determined by one thing deceptively easy: the flexibility to measure it precisely because it strikes by way of the availability chain.

“Deciding how to best measure hydrogen flow is crucial,” mentioned Annarita Baldan, chief scientist at VSL (the Dutch nationwide metrology institute) and chair of the European Metrology Community for Vitality Gases.

“We need to learn how to accurately meter the quality and quantity of hydrogen, how to detect leaks and how to ensure that everything is safe.”

Baldan is carefully concerned in a analysis challenge known as Met4H2—brief for Metrology for the Hydrogen Provide Chain—which brings collectively nationwide metrology institutes, analysis organizations and trade.

This European initiative, which can conclude in September 2025, got down to develop and refine the measurement requirements important for the protected improvement and integration of hydrogen applied sciences into current vitality programs.

It’s a mandatory step if Europe is to realize its purpose of accelerating the market share of hydrogen from 2% in 2020 to 14% in 2050.

Consistency counts

This is without doubt one of the many key contributions that metrology, a comparatively little-known subject of science, makes to our each day lives. It does nearly all the pieces, from guaranteeing we will precisely see how a lot hydrogen is flowing by way of a pipeline to creating positive the time proven on our telephones is appropriate.

“When you look at your watch, the time it shows will largely be the same as that of the watches of the people around you,” mentioned Baldan.

“When you drink water from the tap, in most European countries, you know it is clean. That is because of metrology. It is taken for granted, but behind the scenes, we make sure that all these things are possible.”

The significance of this subject is well known yearly on 20 Might, World Metrology Day. This yr additionally marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Metre Conference.

This international treatysigned in 1875 in Paris, France, laid the foundations of a world system of measurement, guaranteeing that measurements like size, mass and time had been constant worldwide.

Quantum safety

Metrology is an especially numerous subject. Metrology institutes in every nation guarantee, for instance, that the gasoline put right into a automobile at a petroleum station is the quantity that it says on the meter. However additionally they examine high-tech points, corresponding to find out how to make quantum communication safe.

Quantum computer systems are high-speed computer systems that work on ideas of quantum physics. It’s feared that the potential speeds at which these computer systems work could render present safety measures for digital communication out of date. For this reason cryptographers are busy engaged on the event of quantum-proof safety programs.

“We are working on a concept called quantum key distribution,” mentioned Ivo Pietro Degiovanni, analysis director on the Italian nationwide metrology institute (INRiM), and chair of the European Metrology Community of Quantum Applied sciences. “This will allow us to communicate safely, even when quantum computers become a reality.”

However there may be one weak level on this new method of encoding messages: a metamorphosis must occur between the quantum and bodily world.

However at this level, “information leakage” would possibly happen, mentioned Degiovanni. “A hacker might then observe your message and intercept it.”

Because of work carried out by way of an initiative named MeTISQ, which ran from 2019 to 2024 beneath the European Metrology Program for Innovation and Analysis (EMPIR), metrologists from throughout Europe had been in a position to develop methods of recognizing and blocking this type of data leakage. Chalk one up for metrology!

Boosting sustainability

Metrologist Annette Röttger of the German Nationwide Metrology Institute has been taking a look at how metrology can contribute to battery expertise and, significantly, the way in which we recycle them.

“In 2030, we can have 150 million lithium-ion batteries accessible for secondary use,” mentioned Röttger. “That is an enormous number. But to recycle them well, we also need to know when and if we can reuse them.”

Röttger was concerned in a analysis challenge known as LiBforSecUse, which ran from September 2018 to August 2021.

This initiative allowed researchers to take a look at methods to precisely measure impedance—resistance to the move {of electrical} present in a battery.

Lithium-ion batteries are generally utilized in electrical autos. As they age, their efficiency goes down and so they could have to be changed. Nevertheless, they may nonetheless be in adequate form for different makes use of, corresponding to vitality storage. Checking the impedance of those second-hand batteries is due to this fact necessary for deciding on their reuse potential.

“You can compare it to how—when water flows through a pipe—it gets slowed down when there are bends, twists or blockages,” mentioned Röttger. “We looked at how to best measure impedance and define when a battery can still be reused.”

European requirements

Whether or not measuring the move of hydrogen, the vagaries of qubits or the facility potential of second-hand batteries, it’s not solely necessary to ensure measurements are correct, additionally it is important that individuals are measuring in the identical method in every single place.

By EURAMET and the European Partnership on Metrology, Europe is a vital participant in standardization and coordination.

“Europeans need to collaborate to work out these measurements. Metrology is the foundation upon which much of what we produce and trade is built,” mentioned Röttger.

The EU’s help for analysis on this space permits metrologists throughout Europe to work collectively on a variety of issues.

“It is key that we are able to meet each other and compare results,” mentioned Baldan. “We need to align our measurement standards. We need to go beyond national concerns in metrology.”

Degiovanni additionally agreed that cooperation on metrology is key for Europe’s sustainable competitiveness. “Particularly in new fields like quantum computing and sustainable technologies, we need to verify claims and make sure everyone is on the same page. Working together with colleagues like this has a huge impact.”

This text was initially printed in Horizon the EU Analysis and Innovation Journal.