Friday 2 September 2022

Fresh £24m grant offered to establish two UK hydrogen research hubs

Funding worth £24 million has been announced to support the establishment of two hydrogen research hubs in the UK.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is providing the grant for a hub for research challenges in hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels and a second hub for systems integration of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels.

The two hydrogen hubs are expected to drive forward the national effort in hydrogen research needed to facilitate this critical area of technology to meet industry and government needs and support the UK's 2050 net zero goal.

The funding is the second phase of a two-phase process and only the successful hydrogen co-ordinators chosen from the first phase are eligible to apply as principal investigators.

The hubs will provide a focus for the UK research community, working in close partnership with businesses, governments and administrations throughout the UK to tackle research challenges that underpin the hydrogen production, storage and distribution parts of the hydrogen value chain.

They include, but are not limited to, research challenges such as green hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, materials, utilisation, cost, safety, environmental impact and public perception and engagement.

They may also seek to address issues that will impact the hydrogen end use sectors, including lowering costs of hydrogen technologies, increasing efficiencies of technological systems, material science and engineering and hydrogen safety.

Funding will be available for five years and must start no earlier than 1st April 2023.