Earlier this month we attended a Supergen Bioenergy Hub event at Birmingham University. .

We discussed some fascinating overlaps with hydrogen and biogas, such as the dynamic nature of the energy transition (it is not all about the final destination, it is also about the journey), issues of regulation, and the importance of reducing rather than entrenching fuel poverty. Place-specific thinking came up regularly in our discussions!


Thanks to Patricia Thornley, Rakhi Parmar, Michael Short, Paula H Blanco Sanchez, Meysam Qadrdan, YUSUF NADABO CHANCHANGI, Nabila Ahmed Rufa’I, PhD, SMIEEE, Sian Allister

Most recent news in Hydrogen

Early adoption of Hydrogen in the Orkney Islands

By Dr Beniot Couraud

The Orkney Islands, situated off the north eastern coast of Scotland, have been the site of numerous hydrogen projects over the past few decades. This is largely due to Orkney’s leadership in utilizing renewable energy sources, particularly wind, tidal, and wave power. However, a portion of this renewable electricity production must be curtailed because of constraints in the electric grid. Therefore, hydrogen is viewed as a key solution to reclaim the value of this curtailed electricity.

 

To tackle renewable curtailment issues, various measures have been put in place, such as reactive power injection and Active Network Management, while other methods are still under exploration. Efforts to upgrade the grid infrastructure are ongoing, including the potential installation of new cables to boost export capacity. However, the high investment costs have delayed these initiatives. Consequently, innovative strategies like Demand Side Management and energy storage systems are being tested to better balance local energy supply and demand. 

In Orkney, hydrogen solutions are designed to mitigate grid constraints by producing hydrogen when there is an excess of renewable energy. Several projects have already been implemented, including SHyLO (Solid Hydrogen at Low Pressures, which aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of utility-scale solid-state green hydrogen storage), ITEG (Integrating Tidal Energy and Hydrogen), HyDIME (Hydrogen as fuel in Marine transport), BIG HIT, SURF ‘N’ TURF, DUAL Ports, HySeas III, and ReFLEX. These projects leverage two main initiatives: 

First, on the island of Shapinsay, excess generation from a community wind turbine is used to produce green hydrogen through a 1MW Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser. The hydrogen is stored either locally in a 30kg storage facility for heating at Shapinsay School with a 30kW boiler or in special mobile units that are transported to Kirkwall. In Kirkwall, it is stored in the 110kg hydrogen storage facility at the Refuelling Station in Hatston, where it can be used to power the harbour and ferry operations. 

Second, on the island of Eday, excess generation from a 900kW community wind turbine and a tidal turbine test site is used to produce hydrogen through a 0.5MW Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser unit. The hydrogen is stored in high-pressure tube trailers and transported to the mainland using a fleet of semi-trailers that can carry hydrogen via road or ferry. This hydrogen can be used and stored in the 75kW fuel cell (3x25kW) at Kirkwall harbour, which powers ships at port, or in the 110kg hydrogen storage at the Hydrogen Hatston refuelling station for the council’s fleet of Symbio hydrogen electric vans being trialed in Orkney (fuel cell with battery). 

Therefore, the early adoption of hydrogen in the Orkney Islands has led to two significant projects that serve as valuable case studies for Hi-Act. These projects illustrate how hydrogen can be integrated into energy systems with high renewable energy production and provide concrete examples of the enablers and barriers to hydrogen adoption. 

For instance, the Big HIT project revealed that hydrogen production is currently constrained by the low consumption of hydrogen on the islands and by the limited amount of curtailed energy available to power electrolysers at low cost. This limitation prevents electrolysers from operating at their full capacity (producing 30 tonnes per year versus a theoretical maximum of 180 tonnes per year), thus hindering profitability.

Although electricity prices for hydrogen are very low in Shapinsay and Eday due to the use of curtailed electricity, hydrogen remains less economically attractive than conventional fuels for heating and combined heat and power (CHP) applications. This is because of the limited use of electrolysers and the costs associated with hydrogen storage and transportation via dedicated mobile storage units. Indeed, the absence of a gas network on the islands adds an extra cost of approximately £3 per kilogram to store and transport green hydrogen, making its production less beneficial and not as competitive as other existing fuels. 

In contrast, for transportation, hydrogen shows a similar economic value to standard fuels, though this may not be the case in other locations where electricity prices to power electrolysers would be higher. This underscores the importance of techno-economic analysis when integrating hydrogen into a smart local energy system and highlights the need for careful arbitrage in the use of cheap electricity. 

These issues are being addressed within Hi-Act, as we aim to develop a methodology for identifying energy systems that can successfully integrate hydrogen. We are also exploring innovative methods involving multi-agent systems, smart cyber-physical systems, and local markets to help smart local energy systems derive sustainable value from local hydrogen production and consumption. 

The following events spotlight the UK’s dynamic hydrogen sector, reflecting ongoing challenges and advancements toward a hydrogen-powered future.

European Hydrogen Week (25-29 November):

Join Europe’s largest annual hydrogen event, showcasing the latest advancements and future prospects. Industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers gather in Brussels for critical discussions and networking.https://euhydrogenweek.eu/

HyDEX Events:

Explore HyDEX’s various events focused on accelerating hydrogen adoption in the Midlands. These events provide insights into cutting-edge research, industry collaborations, and regional hydrogen projects.https://hydex.ac.uk/events/

Hydrogen Scotland Conference (29-30 October):

Scotland’s flagship hydrogen event in Glasgow celebrates the hydrogen economy, featuring discussions on low-carbon hydrogen production, supply chain development, and export opportunities. Includes the prestigious Hydrogen Scotland Awards.https://www.hydrogenscotland.com/event/hydrogen-scotland-conference-2024/

Sustainable Hydrogen for Net Zero (17 October):

A Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution event focusing on hydrogen’s role in achieving net-zero emissions. Industry experts discuss sustainable hydrogen production, storage, and usage strategies.https://www.brlsi.org/whatson/sustainable-hydrogen-for-net-zero/

Hydrogen Markets Europe (5-6 December):

Held in Antwerp, this event dives into the commercial aspects of hydrogen, examining market trends, investment opportunities, and the path to a sustainable hydrogen economy.https://www.ami-events.com/event/a90b3d2c-b31f-4ffa-91a8-0dd7dddca53b/summary

The most recent funding opportunities.

Funding

EU Funding & Tenders Portal (europa.eu)


• Pre-announcement: Design Accelerators round three. Call for proposal closes 3 October 2024

Design Accelerators: round three – UKRI


• Pre-announcement: Sustainable Industrial Futures. Call for proposal closes 19 November 2024https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/sustainable-industrial-futures/


• Market Uptake Measures of renewable energy systems (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-02-10). Call for proposal closes 21 January 2025 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d3-02-10


• Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-02). Call for proposal closes 21 January 2025https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d3-02-02


• Efficient, sustainable and inclusive energy use (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D4-02). Call for proposal closes 21 January 2025https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-02


• Early Career Research Travel Fund. Applications welcome until 28 February 2025 https://supergenen.org/ecrs/

HI-ACT were delighted to be amongst a group of hydrogen experts during a workshop by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering where the hydrogen community explored the challenges, opportunities, and enablers for a route towards developing a green hydrogen economy in the UK.

A report from the workshop aims to help policymakers ensure that green hydrogen can fulfil its potentially crucial role in a future low-carbon energy system.  The workshop included expert engineers, scientists and policymakers, and explored the enablers, barriers, dependencies and opportunities for growing the nascent UK hydrogen sector.

The report highlights the critical factors that need to be addressed to enable the hydrogen economy to reach its full potential. Green hydrogen is likely to be particularly critical for industries that are challenging to decarbonise with electricity, such as steel, chemicals and long-haul transport.

Read more- Towards a green hydrogen roadmap for the UK | Royal Societyhttps://royalsociety.org/news-resources/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/hydrogen-roadmap/

The new Government’s approach to hydrogen.

By Professor Paul Dodds

There has been much interest in the climate and energy policies of the new Labour Government since it was elected on 4 July.

Prior to the election, the Conservative and Labour parties agreed on a number of areas including building new nuclear power stations, offshore wind and the importance of hydrogen.

A key difference, though, was their vision for the speed of low-carbon transition.  In September 2023, the Conservative Government slowed down the transition by, for example, delaying the date at which petrol and diesel cars would be phased out to 2035.  Labour, in contrast, pledged to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030 and bring the phase-out date for cars back to 2030.

Labour’s Clean Energy Superpower Mission focuses on cutting energy bills and creating jobs.  It includes a pledge to fund green hydrogen manufacturing with up to £500m over the new parliament.  A National Wealth Fund is being created whose investments could include hydrogen, and GB Energy will be an owner and investor whose tasks will include project development, project investment and supply chains.  The GB Energy Bill is scheduled to have its Second Reading in Parliament in September 2024 so it is clearly a priority.

Hydrogen is not a short-term priority for the new Government

The principal short-term priority for the new government appears to be clean power by 2030.  The next offshore wind auction has already been increased to £1.5bn.  There is a question about whether the Government will commit to a regular pipeline of support in the longer term that gives investors the confidence to invest in new UK factories to deliver wind turbines and other technologies.

Labour’s longer-term thoughts on net zero focus on nature, clean air, decarbonising transport and leveraging finance.  It’s not clear that there will be a substantial focus on hydrogen over this parliament.

Ed Miliband is the new Secretary of State for DESNZ, having held the same position for DECC in 2008–2010 when that Government was strongly in favour of electrification to reduce emissions.  Sarah Jones is the new Minister of State with responsibility for hydrogen.  The Prime Minister and particularly the new Chancellor of the Exchequer were very positive about hydrogen investments prior to the election.

Big questions remain about the strategy to decarbonise heat

While Labour is committed to using heat pumps to decarbonise heating in homes, Ed Miliband said prior to the election that a Labour Government would not force homeowners to rip out their gas boilers.  Yet last year Lord Callanan, the previous Minister of State with responsibility for hydrogen, said “the idea that we could produce enough hydrogen at reasonable cost to displace mains gas is pretty much impossible”.  So, what is the strategy?

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) warned last summer that policymakers need to stop “avoiding big, impactful decisions and actions” to decarbonise heat.  The decision on whether to use hydrogen for heating due in 2026 but the village pilot studies were abandoned by the previous government.  The new Government will have come to a decision on its next steps for this challenging area sooner rather than later.

New Project Funded Under Innovation Launchpad Network+ to Advance Hydrogen Technology

The Innovation Launchpad Network+, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), unites leading universities, the Catapult Network, and regional innovation ecosystems to foster the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Recently, the Researchers in Residence Innovation Scheme of the Innovation Launchpad Network+ funded a new project titled “Integrating Industry and Academic Perspectives for Advancing Hydrogen Technology: A Roadmapping Approach“.

The principal investigator, Dr Dawei Wu, an associate professor at the University of Birmingham, introduced the project:

“The aim of the project is to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application in hydrogen technology development. This project will create an integrated UK roadmap for hydrogen technology, with clear milestones for 2030, 2040, and 2050.”

Dr Wu is also part of the EPSRC-funded HI-ACT Hub, where he leads the development of hydrogen technology roadmaps with an emphasis on a whole energy system approach and hydrogen integration. He added:

“Working closely with the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII) project partners, especially the Connected Places Catapult (CPC), the project will integrate insights from both industry and academia.”

By combining industry needs and upcoming academic research, the new project seeks to identify expertise and technology gaps, highlighting investment opportunities to strengthen the UK’s hydrogen sector. The project also aims to disseminate its findings through workshops with UK experts and a non-technical article to emphasize the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. These efforts will provide valuable information to stakeholders and link the new roadmap with existing ones, enabling further exploration of the topic.

Dr Wu specialises in zero-carbon fuels and emissions-free propulsion technologies for transport. In addition to his role in the UK National Hydrogen Research Centre: HI-ACT Hub, he also serves as the research theme leader for ‘Low-carbon Propulsion Systems’ in the UK Clean Maritime Research Hub.

Dr Wu expects that the newly funded project will represent a step forward in the UK’s efforts to advance hydrogen technology, driving future innovation in the emerging hydrogen sector.