The Role of R&D in Green Hydrogen Projects
Jul, 2026
As green hydrogen projects move from pilot conversations to operating reality, research and development plays a critical role in translating field needs into practical filtration and separation solutions. In this interview, we spoke with Colleen Lawlor, a Pall R&D specialist, about how customer insights, technical constraints and emerging application requirements shape product development for green hydrogen systems.
From aerosol removal in hydrogen and oxygen streams to particulate removal in electrolyte recirculation loops, the conversation highlights why R&D matters as the energy transition moves into new operating environments. These insights show how collaboration across sales, marketing, customers and technical teams can help identify the right design parameters, solve emerging challenges and support more reliable hydrogen production at scale.
In one sentence, what’s your role as an R&D specialist in green hydrogen projects?
I am a research and development engineer, so I take the insights gathered by our marketing and sales teams and transform them into physical solutions and products that customers can implement to solve their filtration and separation challenges.
What recurring technical pain points do you see across hydrogen projects right now?
One of the biggest pain points is that some earlier hydrogen production systems were designed before the filtration needs were fully identified. As a result, we are learning about these challenges alongside our customers. That is where the balance of technical expertise and creativity within the R&D team becomes important, because we need to quickly develop solutions that deliver strong performance while still working within system constraints. Practical examples include aerosol removal from hydrogen and oxygen streams leaving electrolyzers, as well as particulate removal within electrolyte recirculation loops.
Tell us about a project moment that made you think, “this is why R&D matters.”
There are many filtration and separation needs emerging across the energy transition. Some can be addressed with existing products, such as particulate filters that protect process equipment, but others have specific requirements that current solutions cannot fully satisfy. Those moments reinforce why R&D matters. By listening closely to customers and understanding the technical demands of new applications, we can create technology that helps enable the energy transition by solving new challenges and protecting both customer systems and the environment.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from working on these projects?
I have learned how dynamic energy transition markets are and how that flux influences product development. In R&D, we need to identify and optimize the most impactful design parameters so we can deliver the best product in the shortest amount of time. Customer relationships are key to that process, because they help us focus on the right inputs and receive feedback on how designs perform under real process conditions. Product development for these applications is truly a team effort across many functions, and progress happens when we work collaboratively.
What gets you excited as you come to the office and work on these projects?
Pall filtration technology already plays an important role in critical applications across industries, from lube and hydraulic systems to aircraft cabin air and microelectronics manufacturing. What excites me about green hydrogen is the opportunity to bring that same problem-solving mindset into a fast-evolving market where the technical needs are still being defined. The work we are doing now can help shape how reliable, scalable hydrogen production systems are designed in the future, and that makes the day-to-day development work feel meaningful.