The University of Bath will launch an important new research project into how the UK could increase its use of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels as part of the country’s commitment to reaching Net Zero by 2050.
Professor Tim Mays of Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering will lead a new project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) that will address the research challenges preventing the wider use of these low-carbon fuels in the UK beginning on April 1.
Professor Mays will be one of two UK Hydrogen Research Co-ordinators, with the goal of establishing national Centers of Excellence based at their home institutions over the next six months. Professor Sara Walker will lead the other co-ordinator project looking into better system integration of these fuels at Newcastle University.
EPSRC funding will be used to support research activities at Bath, including UK-wide stakeholder engagement workshops, with an initial total of over £400k. Professor Mays’ team will collaborate on high-impact, multidisciplinary, multi-site projects with the goal of forming long-term research alliances. Professor Rachael Rothman of the University of Sheffield and Professor Shanwen Tao of the University of Warwick are co-investigators on the project.
High-profile project partners include ITM Power, the Health and Safety Executive, Jaguar Land Rover, GKN Aerospace, Wales and West Utilities, Siemens Energy, and the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
Policymakers and industry
The Co-ordinator project team will engage stakeholders and use a ‘theory of change’ process to map the most significant research challenges, as well as potential solutions and their consequences. They will concentrate on the potential for these fuels to decarbonize land, water, and air transportation, electricity generation, and domestic and industrial heating, as well as high-CO2 emitting industries such as steel, cement, glass, and fertilizers. These sectors account for roughly 90% of UK greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the project’s potential impact is enormous, particularly in terms of assisting the country in meeting its ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2050.
Professor Mays will also lead a Bath Beacon at the University of Bath titled Future Fuels: Hydrogen and its Carriers, an initiative aligned with national priorities that empowers our research community to tackle major global challenges by forming consortia for large-scale funding. The Hydrogen Research Co-ordinator project is a critical step in that direction.
The funding proposal for the Hydrogen Research Co-ordinator was created in collaboration with the University’s Research and Innovation Services team.
