UK-HyRES Co Director and alternative liquid fuels leader Prof Shanwen Tao, will be speaking at the Hydrogen in UK Transportation – From Potential to Reality Workshop at the University of Warwick.
The UK Hydrogen Strategy, developed by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, is integral to the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and meeting the Sixth Carbon Budget by 2035. The strategy sets an ambitious target to scale up low-carbon hydrogen production to 10 GW by 2030.
For the UK to achieve net zero by 2050, surface transport must transition from fossil fuels to sustainable electricity, hydrogen, and other renewable sources. The UK Transport Vision 2050 highlights that this significant transition will primarily occur between 2030 and 2050. By 2050, electric propulsion is anticipated to become the dominant mode, necessitating extensive battery production and resources. Hydrogen is poised to power about 20% of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), buses, and coaches, and contribute to 5% of air and 3% of maritime transport. Ammonia and methanol are also projected to become major fuels for 24% and 44% of maritime transport, respectively, further increasing hydrogen demand.
The UK Hydrogen Strategy projects a demand for up to 6 TWh of low-carbon hydrogen in the transport sector by 2030. By 2050, the UK Transport Vision 2050 estimates the hydrogen requirement for transport will be around 69 TWh, including the demand for ammonia and methanol in maritime applications.
Key Discussion Points to Explore:
- What are the main technical and regulatory challenges in expanding the UK’s hydrogen production and storage capabilities?
- How can existing infrastructure in the UK be utilised to expedite the rollout of hydrogen technologies?
- What tailored strategies would you recommend for the adoption of hydrogen technologies across various transport sectors such as maritime, road, and aviation in the UK?
This project aims to provide comprehensive support to the national transportation authority in assessing hydrogen technologies for future use. The final outcome will be a detailed white paper that outlines the current status of hydrogen technology in transportation, explores potential future applications, and offers strategic recommendations for its deployment. As part of the commitment to advancing the dialogue on hydrogen in transportation, the insights and contributions from participants at the workshop will be instrumental in developing the white paper. Your valuable input will be acknowledged in the final document.
To register interest and to find out more, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/4bk5rkU
Recently, we sat down and spoke to Bath Hydrogen team leaders Samuel Ray and Oliver Jones to discuss their pioneering efforts in revolutionising automotive technology, after successfully making an engine run on hydrogen. Samuel, the outgoing team lead, initiated his journey with the project last February, marking the transition from technical feasibility studies to practical implementation. Oliver, currently serving as the third-year team leader, is focused on preparing the car for operation, including designing the fuel system and ensuring compliance with safety standards. Join us as we delve into their collaborative efforts and ambitious goals for the project’s future.
Q: Could you give a brief introduction of yourselves and the team?
A: We are the team leaders of Bath Hydrogen. I’m Samuel Ray, the outgoing team lead, and I’ve been with the project since its practical work began last February. Our journey began with a focus on technical feasibility, and over time, we’ve expanded the team’s efforts to include single cylinder engine testing and practical work on the car, fuel system, and safety specifications. Joining me is Oliver Jones, the current third-year team leader, who has played a vital role in advancing the project forward with his expertise in internal combustion engine design.
Q: What is the history of the project?
A: The project evolved from Team Bath Racing, the University Formula Student team, to align with the university’s sustainability goals. The first year was a technical feasibility study. Practical work began in February 2022, and this is the third year of the project.
Q: How many members are on the team?
A: Currently, there are nine members—three final years and six on the GBDP (Group Business Design Project).
Q: What research have you been focusing on?
A: The main focus has been creating a blueprint for running an engine on hydrogen. We started with a single-cylinder engine test rig. The base engine we used was a Vanguard 400 EFI, commonly found in small commercial machinery. We converted it to run on hydrogen by modifying the fuel system, ignition timing, and engine control system. Overcoming health and safety challenges was a significant part of this process. The next step is direct injection running, aligning with our goals for the car.
Q: What were the main challenges and how many test runs did it take to succeed?
A: We took a step-by-step approach, integrating our own ECU and running the engine on petrol before switching to hydrogen. Health and safety were the main challenges. Initially, we conducted numerous tests to ensure the fuel system could handle hydrogen fuel.
Q: What health and safety challenges did you face?
A: Hydrogen leaks easily and burns with an invisible flame. We implemented exclusion zones to separate the fuel source and the engine from the operator. Despite initial concerns, we haven’t had any leaks. The fuel system has been resilient.
Q: What are the next steps and challenges from this point?
A: The biggest challenge will be health and safety. Moving from a test rig to a car requires re-evaluating safety measures. We aim to show that hydrogen is a viable and safe option. Our main goal is to change public perception and demonstrate the potential of hydrogen engines for carbon neutral transport
Q: What is the current land speed record with a hydrogen-powered vehicle?
A: BMW hit 187.62 miles per hour in 2004. However, our car runs in a different category, the 2-litre class, while BMW used a 6-litre engine.
Q: How far are you from making an attempt?
A: The car might run on hydrogen next year, but more likely the year after. We’ll start with standing start records due to the lack of long runways in the UK. To beat BMW’s record, we’d need more funding and probably go abroad.
Q: What are the next steps and challenges from this point?
A: The biggest challenge will be health and safety, moving from a test rig to a car requires re-evaluating safety measures. We aim to show that hydrogen is a viable and safe option. Our main goal is to change public perception and demonstrate the potential of hydrogen engines.
You can now apply for one of seven fully funded PhD studentships as part of the EPSRC Prosperity Partnership ZENITH. ZENITH (Zero emission: the next generation of integrated technologies for hydrogen) is a new partnership between the University of Bath and GKN Aerospace.
The 3.5-year funded studentships offer an enhanced stipend of £21,010 a year for Home students. £13,890 a year is available for international students through the Vice Chancellor International Scholarships.
Based in The University of Bath Department of Mechanical Engineering, you’ll work with four post-doctoral researchers and supervisors from a team of 15 academics and 11 industrial specialists.
Please note that despite the application deadline mentioned on the website these opportunities are STILL OPEN!!!!
To read more and apply click here: https://bit.ly/4e2zvUQ
Dr. Chris Jones, UK-HyRES Social Theme Lead at the University of Portsmouth, is collaborating with Dr. Mitchell Scovell from CSIRO on a 10-week research exchange. Their work aims to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen energy technologies by exploring societal acceptance factors. This initiative is part of the UK-HyRES project, funded by UKRI, to help the UK achieve its 2050 Net Zero emissions target.
For more information read more here: https://bit.ly/4bACuT1
Prof Tim Mays and Dr Sibimol Luke represented UK-HyRES at the HEA Annual Conference 2024 in London on 23 May. Lord Callanan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister of Energy Efficiency and Green Finance) was the keynote speaker and he said that the UK needs decisive action more than ambition. He also assured the industry in this time of uncertainty of the UK’s general election that there may not be many policy changes even if the government changes since the country’s climate targets and net-zero goals remain the same.
The conference theme of ‘acting on ambition’ brought together a range of stakeholders including government representatives, policymakers, industry leaders, academics, lawyers, consultants, investors, insurers and bankers. All are essential to scale up the hydrogen sector. The conference reiterated the need for joint actions, strategic planning, more funding and support from the government, and fast decisions if the UK is to become a net exporter of hydrogen and to capture a share of global market technologies.
Tim Mays spoke at the ‘Accelerating Action’ session. He did a short presentation about the mission of the hub, the research themes, the funding available, and the great interest the hub received in the stage 1 research project call. He also emphasised the requirement for more investment from the government and industry in academia and research and for the industry to be involved with academia from the very beginning of research at low TRL levels to build the confidence of the industry and to take the innovations out of the lab.
Different sessions highlighted the need for research and innovation in hydrogen technologies, more investments in R&D in OEMs, challenges in finding off-takers, and at least a few projects that are up and running to build investors’ confidence. Overall, the conference encouraged the hydrogen sector to go forward with its ambitious goals and projects and it is possible to build them together despite the challenges as there are solutions to all the problems.
Prof Shanwen Tao has been announced as a Plenary Lecturer for the 3rd Symposium of Ammonia Energy. Hosted in Shanghai on the 23rd-26th of September at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Foshan Xianhu Laboratory. The theme of this symposium is Ammonia: New Energy, New Opportunity. This event will share and discuss the latest research results, discuss innovative technology solutions, and engage in dialogue on sustainable development strategies for ammonia energy, jointly promote the ammonia energy research, address related challenges, and achieve a cleaner and more sustainable future energy landscape.
If you would like more information on this you can read more here: https://bit.ly/3KfDMqq
The Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), Innovate UK and the EPSRC Hydrogen Hubs, UK-HyRES and HI-ACT, have come together to host the UK Hydrogen Innovation Showcase. This event will highlight the innovative projects taking place across the UK hydrogen supply chain, featuring key players in the hydrogen landscape.
Delegates should come prepared to explore the innovation taking place across the hydrogen landscape, learn about the innovative projects our exhibitors and speakers are showcasing, understand more about the key research developments and funding opportunities underpinning the hydrogen economy, and enable and accelerate meaningful partnerships and collaborations.
With speakers and presentations from senior industry leaders, those working on emerging technologies and members of the policy and regulatory space, this event will be an opportunity to learn more about UK Hydrogen innovation and impactful collaboration.
If you work with hydrogen technologies or want to understand more about the innovations taking place, join the event and help shape the UK hydrogen economy.
Register your interest to attend as a delegate, speaker or exhibitor Here: https://ow.ly/et9k50RYqiB
Please note there are limited exhibitor slots available, thus we cannot accept all EOIs. If you are selected as an exhibitor, we will be in touch with next steps and guidance shortly.
Research Project Call Stage 2
We are pleased to announce that Stage 2 of the UK-HyRES Hydrogen and Alternative Liquid Fuels Research Project Call is open to successful Stage 1 applicants. We were overwhelmed at the number of submissions (158) received, an indication of exceptional community interest in hydrogen research. This led to a challenging and lengthy assessment process involving nearly 500 independent reviews each in quality, impact, and fit assessment areas. However, we are confident in the high quality of the final selection of 38 EoIs invited to the full proposal. At this stage, we expect to be able to fund around 10 proposals, subject to review. Finally, it is important to note that ALL the EoIs that we received were interesting, relevant, and potentially impactful. It is frustrating that our limited flexifund did not (and will not) allow us to fund as many project ideas as we would like. We are currently in discussion with the EPSRC to explore a budget uplift for the Hub that will match the clear and extensive appetite for new hydrogen projects.
Key Dates
| Call for Full Proposals opens | 2nd May 2024 |
| Online information webinar for Full Proposals | 17th May 2024 2.00 to 3.30pm on Teams |
| Call for Full Proposals closes | 13th June 3.00 PM |
| Peer reviews of full proposals | 18th June – 16th July 2024 |
| Meeting of Review Panel | w/c 22nd July 2024 |
| Notification of successful and unsuccessful Proposals | w/c 22nd July 2024 |
| Period for exchange of Flexible Fund grant conditions | 22nd July – 16th August 2024 |
| Anticipated start date of successful proposals | October – December 2024 |
How can governance strategies support the uptake of net zero hydrogen technologies and systems (H2NZ)? How do we ensure that in bringing about H2NZ energy transitions we do so responsibly and support a just energy transition?
Come and join the Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Center to create a step change in the development of responsible hydrogen ecosystems and accelerate the pace of decarbonisation of energy systems globally.
For further details and to apply, please see : Research Assistant or Fellow in Society and Global Hydrogen Energy Systems (4820) (cranfield.ac.uk)
On the 23rd to the 27th of June, Prof Tim Mays will take part in the 24th World Hydrogen Energy Conference WHEC as a plenary speaker.
This five-day international meeting aims to exchange scientific information and academic activities on 18 thematic tracks and will be held in Tulum – Riviera Maya, Mexico. We will look forward to hearing all about this event from Tim after its conclusion this summer.
For more information and the full list of participating speakers read here: https://lnkd.in/eixXV2f9
