THEME 1:
Low carbon energy generation, storage and distribution
Research priority 2 - Hydrogen Energy Systems
There is massive potential for hydrogen to play an important role in achieving low carbon energy systems. To contribute to a low-carbon economy, hydrogen must be produced sustainably including renewable energy sources, biomass and from byproducts of other chemicals. This hydrogen can then be burnt to generate low or zero carbon energy.
Hydrogen is also a clean and sustainable energy carrier that can be easily stored in highly concentrated form and moved around. This hydrogen energy is directly usable for efficient electricity generation in fuel cells for numerous applications including vehicles. This can bring about major improvements in air quality and enhance security of energy supply removing the intermittency of solar, wind and marine electricity generation.
Wales can be prominent in accelerating the rate of transition to a low carbon energy future, not least in the field of hydrogen energy. There is relevant expertise, R&D capability and infrastructure in Wales that can translate this promising low carbon energy technology into new business opportunities. Hydrogen energy should therefore figure prominently in Wales’ renewable energy future.
As an example, efficient, hydrogen fuelled vehicles can eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the fuel supply chain, contributing to the Welsh Assembly Government’s targets of reduced emissions.
The LCRI has a strong world leading research base in the field of hydrogen energy systems and fuel cells. The Hydrogen Research Unit at the University of Glamorgan’s Sustainable Environment Research Centre (SERC), has a track record on a broad range of leading multi-disciplinary hydrogen energy research projects, including participation in two hydrogen and fuel cell related EPSRC SUPERGEN consortia and other EPSRC, FP6 and Carbon Trust funded research programmes.
Case study 1 – The renewable Hydrogen Research & Demonstration Centre is located at Baglan Energy Park and developed by the University of Glamorgan with part funding from the ERDF, the Hydrogen Centre is a focal point for new Research, Development and Demonstration of renewable hydrogen energy technology in Wales.
Building on the University’s established research into hydrogen energy, the Centre will provide a platform for the experimental development of renewable hydrogen production, novel hydrogen energy storage, hydrogen vehicles, fuel cell applications and overall hydrogen energy systems. One of the main functions of the Hydrogen Centre is to raise awareness of hydrogen as a clean and sustainable energy carrier, with the potential to overcome our dependence on imported energy.
Case study 2 – The EPSRC are funding the Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium looking at how food industry co-products and crops rich in carbohydrates can be fermented in the dark to produce hydrogen. Microbial communities convert carbohydrates present in organic materials to hydrogen and fermentation end products. Conditions which allow stable operation of the hydrogen reactor and maximise hydrogen yield are only now becoming known.
SERCs is working within this collaboration to enable crops commonly used as animal feed, which can be grown in rotation on currently set-aside land, to provide feedstock for on farm hydrogen reactors throughout the year. (http://serc.research.glam.ac.uk/shec/)
Case study 3 – This University of Glamorgan carbon trust funded project aims to determine the potential of fermentation technologies to produce either hydrogen biofuel or a hydrogen enriched methane biofuel from a flour milling industry co-product. The project will deliver a research scale plant facility to be operated under controlled conditions where yields of the hydrogen and methane biofuels from a flour industry co-product (wheatfeed) will be monitored.
http://serc.research.glam.ac.uk/ctpilotplant/
Key contact: Professor Alan Guwy, Sustainable Energy Research Centre (SERC), University of Glamorgan.
http://people.glam.ac.uk/view/216/
