United Kingdom Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium UK-SHEC May–October 2010 Semester 6 – 7/10 of Programme Presentation to Advisory Group UK-SHEC Bi-annual Assembly STFC, 8 November 2010 Tim Mays, University of Bath Principal Investigator Progress
Bi-annual Assembly Bath, May 2010 UCL, 6-7 January 2010
Nottingham two groups Cambridge University College London two groups STFC / ISIS Oxford Bath Glamorgan Birmingham two groups Salford two groups Manchester Glasgow Strathclyde two groups Production Storage Socio-economics EPSRC Swindon Management £5.97m EPSRC / SUPERGEN funding £7.29m full economic cost 48 months funding from 1 July 2007 12 month unfunded extension to 30 June 2012 17 UK research teams at 12 institutions 5 themes, 42 workpackages NumberWork months Investigators3086 Research staff25665 Research students8288 Support staff885 TOTAL711,124 UK-SHEC Current Status
Delivery of Sustainable Hydrogen 14 consortia £62m support since 2003 Over 40 institutions Programme finishes SUPERGEN Current Status
Professor Peter Edwards, FRS University of Oxford Management Director Chair, Management Committee Dr Tim Mays University of Bath Operations Director & EPSRC Principal Investigator Mrs Lacey-Jane Davis University of Bath Operations Co-ordinator & Secretary, Management Committee & Advisory Group UK-SHEC Management and Timeline Start date 1 July / / / / / 12 Original end date 30 June 2011 Extended end date 30 June 2012 S1S2S3S4S5S6S7S8S9S10 Timeline Year Semester Dr David Hart Imperial College & E4tech Chair, Advisory Group Bath May 10 S5 STFC November 10
UK-SHEC Scope UK-SHEC is a multi-partner, interdisciplinary collaboration funded by the EPSRC’s SUPERGEN initiative and led by the Universities of Bath and Oxford. The Consortium aims, via high-impact fundamental and applied research in science, engineering and socio-economics, to acquire and disseminate knowledge and understanding of, and to guide and inform the use and integration of, sustainable hydrogen energy systems, nationally and internationally, and in partnership with the broader academic community, industry, business, policymakers and the public. Core research themes cover generation of hydrogen from biomass fermentation, solid-state storage of hydrogen and the analysis and modelling of the socio-economics of hydrogen energy.
UK-SHEC Vision UK-SHEC considers that hydrogen ultimately derived from renewable sources and used as an energy vector in both mobile and static applications must be considered as a major component of a sustainable energy future in the UK and internationally. Hydrogen will inter alia lead to a reduction in use of limited fossil fuel reserves, improved air quality, increased security and flexibility of energy supply, greater energy diversity and the support of existing and new industries. But most important, hydrogen will be key in the raft of energy technologies leading to reduced emissions to the atmosphere of greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels, and hence to the mitigation of global climate change, which evidence suggests (IPCC, AR4) is anthropogenic.
UK-SHEC High Level Objectives 1.To advance knowledge and understanding of the generation of hydrogen from biomass. 2.To advance knowledge and understanding of the complex processes and mechanisms of hydrogen storage in materials and to search for new, effective hydrogen storage materials. 3.To investigate and model integrated hydrogen energy systems. 4.To advance knowledge and understanding the social and economic implications of a transition to sustainable energy systems that involve hydrogen. 5.To provide the basis for genuine multidisciplinary and collaborative research in hydrogen energy and to build capacity for the next generation of researchers in hydrogen energy. 6.To facilitate and drive effective exchange and sharing of knowledge and understanding of sustainable hydrogen energy between the Consortium and the broader academic community, industry, business, policymakers and the public.
UK-SHEC Progress Overview 1.Snowbound Consortium meeting in UCL (January). 2.Re-arranged Consortium meeting at Bath (May) including break-out group discussion on Hydrogen Energy Futures 3.Period May-October is the conference and vacation season … but … 4.All work packages operating effectively (throughout). 5.Wide range of disseminated research in papers and at meetings, conferences and workshops nationally and internationally (throughout). 6.Management Committee teleconference (July) including participation by colleagues from SUPERGEN Delivery of Sustainable Hydrogen Consortium and EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and their Applications. 7.Arrangements developing for 2011 Showcase and KTA Fellowship for Mays (September) 8.Delayed RCUK International Energy Review (October). 9.Submission of 7th Annual Report to EPSRC covering period July 2009 to June 2010 (October). 10.This meeting (November). UK-SHEC Forward Plan (May-October 2010) 1.Firm up funding and arrangements for end-2010 showcase event(s) at Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Society. 2.Revise project Gantt charts in view of extension. 3.Establish UK-SHEC archive. 4.Management Committee meeting (June). 5.Re-arranged RCUK International Energy Review (to be confirmed). 6.Lead development of UK Hydrogen Energy Programme concept.
Theme 1: Hydrogen Production A £6.3 million project, titled Cymru H2 Wales was funded by the Innovation theme of the EU Convergence Region Funding and the University of Glamorgan. The project will fund 20 research posts in the area of hydrogen systems research including biohydrogen. A £240,000 grant from the UK Department of Transport`s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Programme supported the development of the South Wales Alternative Fuel Gateway Project. This will support the deployment of second hydrogen and CNG vehicle refuelling station for the University of Glamorgan. In October 2009 in collaboration with UPS Systems plc the University of Glamorgan reached the finals for ‘Environmental Technology’ at The Engineer Technology & Innovation Awards 2009 for The Hydrogen Centre at Baglan. From the HEFCW Low Carbon Research Institute, (£1 million) Jon Maddy, Dr Jorge Rodriguez-Rodriquez and Professor Alan Guwy have been funded for 5 years to strengthen and develop the area of hydrogen energy research.
Theme 2: Hydrogen Storage Walker, Schröder, et al., Nottingham Gavin Walker The Sir Harry and Lady Djanogly Chair in Sustainable Energy University of Nottingham
Theme 2: Hydrogen Storage Simulation has determined the dehydrogenation pathway of LiNH 2 BH 3, and explained why it releases H 2 at lower temperatures than NH 3 BH 3 Have demonstrated that the addition of NH 4 Cl to LiBH 4 lowers dehydrogenation temperatures, and used simulation to understand the mechanism Guo, Shevlin, et al., UCL
Theme 2: Hydrogen Storage Mays, et al., Bath
Theme 3: Integrated Systems Work has started to assess durability and performance of solid state stores to gas impurities in hydrogen derived from biomass PEM fuel cells are extremely sensitive to impurities, and so very pure hydrogen is required. Dense-metal hydrogen membranes are compact and allow high-purity hydrogen recovery at steady flows. Novel Pd-based membranes to purify hydrogen from a range of sources, such as bio- hydrogen, are being investigated: Fabricate Pd-based membranes by rolling and by sputtering H 2 permeability / sorption characterization of membrane Develop novel Pd-based membrane systems, to purify bio-H 2 Public Engagement Exercise around the Hydrogen Energy Centre at Baglan, S E Wales
Theme 4: Demand, Innovation, Deliberation and Sustainability UKSHEC Core Socio-economic WPs (Ekins, et al.) Work on role of roadmaps in innovation policy largely complete and presented at conferences in UK and Netherlands Stakeholder interviews underway to inform final scenarios development: informing critical branching points in socio- technical trajectories Technical data review in progress to support scenario modelling: roadmap targets, projections and estimates for fuel cell vehicle technologies and hydrogen production technologies New modelling team to start work in December
Theme 4: Demand, Innovation, Deliberation and Sustainability Team at Cambridge (Grubb & Cerruti) building new model to explore innovation dynamics and portfolio theory – will inform further analysis at the energy system level. Two-region MARKAL model (UCL) further developed, incorporating new data on bioenergy resource, waste resources, and other technologies. Some initial difficulties with calibration now being resolved. Resource now in place in Strathclyde for network analysis - awaiting outputs from MARKAL analysis Surveys and interviews complete in Greater Manchester on public perceptions work, data analysis underway. UKSHEC Plus Socio-economic WPs (Ekins, et al.)
Theme 4: Demand, Innovation, Deliberation and Sustainability Bellaby P with Eames M, Flynn R, editors, The role of trust in managing uncertainties in the transition to a sustainable energy economy, Energy Policy Special Section.
Theme 5: Management academe industry business policymakers the public
Energy Materials Research Facility (EMReF) EPSRC Research Complex at Harwell Call EPSRC Panel Meeting 17 November UK-SHEC: Developments
Hydrogen Ferry in Bristol Harbour Auriga Energy Limited UK-SHEC: Developments
PLAN An extensive review of who is carrying out hydrogen energy research and where, what and how: A Hydrogen Research Landscape Widest possible stakeholder consultation to determine whether and how a UK Hydrogen Energy Programme should be established to facilitate more effective co-ordination, dissemination and impact of research inform long term energy policy and regulatory framework boost investor confidence and reduce risk Principal adoption partners will be the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) and the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) Significant interaction with Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Group of the Energy Generation and Supply KTN and with UK-HFCA Applicant is ideally placed to implement this plan Active researcher KT Champion I-SEE Board DTC SCT Deputy-Director SUPERGEN PI UK-SHEC: Developments – Mays KTA Fellowship
UK-SHEC Forward Plan November 2010-April Possible call for next stage of SUPERGEN hydrogen. 2.Confirm funding and arrangements for International Hydrogen Energy Symposium and Showcase, April 2011 (November). 3.Continue to update online UK-SHEC archive and database (throughout). 4.Management Committee meeting (January 2011). 5.Lead development of UK Hydrogen Energy Programme concept (January-December 2011).
An Optimistic Future for Hydrogen Nature, February 2004 Nature, April 2010