Hydrogen innovation through the Energy Technology Partnership (ETP)

ETP is an independent partnership of 14 Scottish universities, engaged in world-class energy research and innovation. The partnership is at the frontline of ensuring Scotland remains a global leader in hydrogen research, innovation, production, and export. 

We recently attended ETP’s webinar, which showcased the impressive innovation that has been made possible through support from HIP. Learn more about just some of these innovations.  

Hydrogen Innovation Programme (HIP)

The ETP partnership offers both knowledge exchange and access to funding for green hydrogen projects through the Hydrogen Innovation Programme (HIP). Support is available for Scottish companies of any size, or non-Scottish companies who have or want to establish a base in Scotland.

Green hydrogen projects applying for HIP must demonstrate that they will help to improve and develop Scotland’s hydrogen storage, products, processes, and engineering. So far, 25 projects have successfully completed as a result of support from HIP, with a further six drawing to a close at the end of March.

Flexergy

Flexergy is a hydrogen technology developer based in Edinburgh. It understands that hydrogen can address some of the hardest to decarbonise industries, accounting for 20% of global CO2 emissions. However, it also knows that hydrogen compression technology is currently inefficient, expensive, and requires additional equipment. 

Hydrogen compression is a key part of the supply chain, and is vital for shipping, distribution, and storage. Flexergy is attempting to optimise and simplify this process by developing advanced hydrogen gas handling technologies.

Its product compresses hydrogen from any type of electrolyser and allows customers to store and distribute compressed gas at high pressures. 

Flexergy has received early-stage support from HIP for two of their projects. The support, in collaboration with the Universities of Strathclyde, boosted product testing and development. It confirmed that Flexergy’s technology is 30-40% more energy efficient than current compression technology.

Its second HIP funded project - with the University of St Andrews - enabled further developments. Flexergy also provides experience to young researchers working on real hydrogen projects. 

Stewarts Project

Stewart-Buchanan Gauges designs and manufactures pressure gauges and hydrogen valves. Based in Kilsyth, Glasgow, the company has developed low energy hydrogen valves.

Support from HIP provided the company with access to testing facilities at Scottish universities and provided additional guidance as it aims to test and bring its valves to the market. 

With the guidance offered by the university, Stewarts has been able to prove that it will meet UN safety regulations with regard to hydrogen-fuelled vehicle components. Due to the support offered by the HIP project, Stewarts will now invest in a new R&D team and engage in multi-channel marketing to promote its product.

Láidir

Láidir is a Scottish technology startup developing a sustainable, fossil fuel free liquid energy carriers produced from sources such as green hydrogen. Its power fuel cells are more efficient, provide higher yields, and provide a green alternative for heavy commercial vehicles.

The company worked with Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Support from HIP allowed Láidir to conduct an experiment to prove that its high-temperature PEM electrolyser could use waste heat from co-production facilities.   

As a result of the experiment, Láidir has been able to prove that its products offer efficiencies, emissions reductions, and cost benefits that weren't possible before its technology. 

Dalhousie Estates Project

The Dalhousie Estates in Brechin signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a clean growth business park with supporting infrastructure. 

This ‘green neighbourhood’ included plans for both a hydrogen and EV charging facility based on estate renewable energy generation. This would be powered by locally produced energy and storage solutions.

Its initial HIP project involved working with a local energy consultant and the University of Dundee. Through this support, the project developed toolkits to help understand how it could meet hydrogen energy requirements. These included: energy forecasting, data processing, power systems engineering and microgrid, and knowledge of sub-system dynamics. 

The estate used energy calculations from the toolkits to predict outputs from a range of balanced system scales.

Aich2 Energy

Aich2 is a solutions and services company focussed on accelerating the future of hydrogen through the development of economically sustainable solid hydrogen carriers.

ETP support enabled collaboration between Aich2 and Heriot-Watt University for a project to move hydrogen as a solid-state solution. Transporting hydrogen in this form could lower costs and carbon footprint. It could also be a safer transportation method which is commercially scalable. 

The project also considered lifetime emissions, developing a method for recycling the hydrogen carrier using excess green energy. 

Continuing the innovation

If you are inspired by these innovations enabled through ETP, you can register your interest in the HIP scheme on ETP's websiteopens in a new window.

SHINe is also here to guide new companies, start-ups, and innovators towards Scotland’s existing hydrogen landscape. As shown in our SHINe news stories, there is a wealth of existing collaborators across Scotland.

Visit the SHINe capability directory to learn how you can develop the next big hydrogen innovation.