Science and Technology Facilities Council
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STFC partnership secures £250,000 funding for green hydrogen research

 

A project supported by STFC investigating how ammonia can be used to make hydrogen a sustainable energy source has been awarded £250,000 in government funding.

The STFC team behind the ammonia cracker: (L-R) Simeon Greenwood, Adam Huddart, Tristan Davenne, Bill David, Thomas Wood

The STFC team behind the ammonia cracker: (L-R) Simeon Greenwood, Adam Huddart, Tristan Davenne, Bill David, Thomas Wood. (Credit: STFC)

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Ecuity, Engie and Siemens partnership secured the funding as part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Hydrogen Supply Competition. The partnership aims to help the UK reduce the use of carbon in the country’s energy system in order to help achieve its net zero carbon emissions target.

STFC has been working with partners to produce the world’s first demonstration of using ammonia to store renewable energy. The project brought together cutting edge catalyst technology developed by STFC, engineering capability from Engie, green ammonia expertise from Siemens and market analysis from Ecuity.

STFC Mechanical Engineer Tristan Davenne said: “The funding received from this BEIS Hydrogen Supply Competition has allowed STFC to draw on multi-disciplinary expertise in catalysis and mechanical engineering to design a novel and efficient ammonia cracker. This can be integrated with the green ammonia plant and used to demonstrate the production of green hydrogen from ammonia.”

The project is looking at using a highly efficient and scalable cracking of ammonia, splitting it into nitrogen and hydrogen. Hydrogen can then be used as a completely carbon-free and practical bulk energy source. The storage and distribution of ammonia are well-established, mature practices with well-established and mature supply chains.

Ian Wilkinson, Green Ammonia Programme Manager, Siemens plc, recently said:

“Efficient and scalable ammonia cracking technology is the final link in the green hydrogen chain, and – having successfully built a Green Ammonia energy storage demonstration system at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory – Siemens is delighted to be working with our project partners on this next exciting step.”

Diagram showing how STFC proposes to build its ammonia cracker, with the support of further funding

How STFC proposes to build its ammonia cracker, with the support of further funding. (Credit: Adam Huddart and Simeon Greenwood, STFC)

 

Channel website: http://www.stfc.ac.uk/

Original article link: https://stfc.ukri.org/news/stfc-partnership-secures-250-000-funding-for-green-hydrogen-research/

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