The transition towards a hydrogen-based energy system demands the development of pipeline technologies capable of ensuring long-term integrity under demanding service conditions.
Conventional steel pipelines, although widely established, are prone to hydrogen embrittlement, corrosion, and accelerated material degradation, thereby posing significant risks to transport reliability and economic feasibility.
Two promising approaches—Extreme High-Speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA) coatings and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) technologies—offer distinct yet complementary advantages for meeting these challenges.

EHLA represents an advanced surface engineering method in which metallic powders are melted and deposited at extremely high speeds and low heat input, producing dense and metallurgically bonded coatings with thicknesses in the micrometer range.
Such coatings exhibit extremely low porosity, high adhesion, and superior resistance to wear and corrosion.
In hydrogen service, these characteristics effectively reduce permeation pathways, mitigate embrittlement phenomena, and extend service lifetimes while employing minimal coating material, particularly in welded areas.
Importantly, EHLA can be applied as a retrofit solution to existing steel pipelines, enabling the preservation and enhancement of current infrastructure.

FRP pipelines, in contrast, constitute a non-metallic alternative with intrinsic resistance to hydrogen-induced degradation.
Constructed through the combination of polymer matrices and high-performance fibers such as carbon or aramid, FRP systems display high strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance, and adaptable permeability properties.
Advances in continuous manufacturing techniques further allow for the seamless production of FRP pipelines without welds.
By reinforcing polymeric liners with optimized fiber architectures, FRP pipelines achieve mechanical performance suitable for high-pressure hydrogen transport while maintaining long-term operational safety.

Together, the integration of EHLA-based protective coatings for metallic pipelines, the implementation of advanced FRP systems and even their combination provides a strategy for future hydrogen infrastructure.
These material solutions enable both the enhancement of existing networks and the establishment of novel, durable transport systems, thereby supporting a secure and sustainable hydrogen economy.