Liverpool-based DefProc Engineering has secured a place in this year’s Hydrogen Innovation Challenge, organized by climate tech hub Sustainable Ventures.

Developed for Northern Gas Networks, the sensor monitors low-pressure gas supply at NGN’s Low Thornley site near Gateshead; successful testing and trials will see it rolled out to consumers across Yorkshire, the North East and Cumbria, says DefProc.

The firm will now receive one-to-one support for the rest of the year and the opportunity to present the Smart Gas Pressure Sensor at an innovation showcase in front of potential partners and regional end users.

The aim is that the Hydrogen Innovation Challenge will connect them to a wider network of gas distributors looking to decarbonise their networks by innovative means.

Jen Fenner, managing director and co-founder of DefProc Engineering, said: “The Hydrogen Innovation Challenge is an incredible opportunity to showcase our capabilities as end-to-end design engineers and a market-leading innovation partner.

“We’ve worked on some revolutionary projects in recent years and the support from the Hydrogen Innovation Challenge will allow us to present these to a wider network of potential clients and make a tangible difference to the future of sustainability.”

In addition to the Smart Gas Pressure Sensor, which works with natural gas, blended hydrogen supply or 100% hydrogen, DefProc Engineering has designed and delivered what it describes as the UK’s first low-cost domestic hydrogen sensor, H2Go for the EIC, Northern Gas Networks and Wales and West Utilities.

Similar to the look and operation of a traditional smoke alarm, H2Go will be the basis for manufactured domestic hydrogen sensors in the future.

Lee-Ann Perkins, Sustainable Ventures hydrogen program manager, added: “Through the Hydrogen Innovation Challenge, we’re empowering startups to lead the charge in the UK’s energy transition, providing the tools and partnerships to bring innovations to market.”

Earlier this year, DefProc Engineering was also one of five pioneering UK businesses chosen for a new Hydrogen Sensor Accelerator Programme with Digital Catapult, a first-of-its-kind eight-week programme to deliver the UK strategy for hydrogen technology.”

The UK startup behind a system to make green energy at sea using hi-tech sailing vessels has secured £4.65 million in seed capital.

The technology has generated headlines for its novel blend of ideas in relation to the generation, storage and distribution of renew- able energy.

Underwater turbines on the vessels will feed an on-board electrolyser which will produce green hydrogen. This then will then be offloaded at ports where it will be stored and used.

Underpinning the proposition is a vessel routing algorithm that the firm says enables the yacht to find and stay in optimum weather con- ditions, returning to port when its hydrogen tank is full.

The seed funding round for DRIFT Energy was led by venture capital firm Octopus Ventures, with support from Blue Action Accelerator.

DRIFT said it is developing renewable energy partnerships that will benefit coastal and island communities around the world. Ben Medland, Founder and CEO, recently attended the United Nations’ 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States, where he said he saw huge opportunity for the company to support the energy transition for the 65+ million people that live across more than 1000 islands on the planet.

He said the funding “enables us to drive with momentum into the next phase of our mission. We will work closely with Octopus and our advisory teams to bring our vision of ‘Oceans of Energy’ to life with that all-important first net-positive ship.”

Compared to the 13 years said to be required to locate, plan, design and commission an offshore wind farm, as DRIFT explained to Offshore Engineer, a flotilla of vessels equipped to generate an equivalent amount of power can be built in a tenth of the time. Without the need for planning, surveys and undersea infrastructure, the whole process is greatly expedited.

Mat Munro, Investor at Octopus Ventures, said: “We’re incredibly excited about DRIFT and the team’s potential to lead the way in developing a truly innovative source of renewable energy. At Octopus Ventures, we’re backing the companies building a sustainable planet, and DRIFT’s ambitions are exactly what we’re looking for. We can’t wait for the day its first vessel sets out on its maiden voyage.”

George Northcott, Co-Founder of Blue Action Accelerator added: “Blue Action Accelerator’s mission is to help scale groundbreaking technologies that preserve marine environments and support coastal-dependent communities. DRIFT is the ultimate example of that – creating a new class of mobile renewable energy from the world’s seas and delivering it to where it is needed – from island nation communities to power hungry ports. We are thrilled to be supporting them as they build their first vessels and bring a vision to life.”

DRIFT Energy has also recently been awarded funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, through its Investor Partnership Programme. The grant will assist the research and development programme and accelerate the design process of the first vessel.

Edinburgh start-up Chromacity shares details of the development of a next-generation optical solution for the detection of contaminants in renewable hydrogen.

While renewable hydrogen is widely acknowledged to play a growing role in decarbonising the economy, challenges remain to control its purity. With supply from diverse sources including green, blue and regasified hydrogen from storage media, users need confidence that the gas they use is of sufficient quality that it will not damage key components such as fuel cells or infrastructure.

Working in partnership with the Herriot Watt University* and Frauhofer UK*, a new solution combining high brightness, coherent Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) laser technology from Chromacity, with advanced FTIR spectroscopy techniques, has been shown to offer advantages over current technologies. ISO 14687:2019, which defines thresholds for a wide range of contaminants in hydrogen for fuel cells, is being used to benchmark this exciting development.

Julian Hayes, CEO of Chromacity Ltd commented: “Existing optical solutions for determining the purity of renewable hydrogen either compromise on spectral resolution and detection sensitivity or are overly complex making them expensive which limits deployment. Likewise, the implementation of sensitive gas chromatography techniques is limited because the instrumentation is costly, bulky, and online sampling is challenging.”

He added: “Based on a single light source, our solution removes the complexities of multi-source optical techniques and so lowers the cost of ownership. The broad, tuneable bandwidth of the OPO laser allows many contaminants to be detected, including broad or complex chemical signatures. Our instrument is designed to be used in-line and has been shown to monitor the five key contaminants in the renewable hydrogen production process (as detailed in ISO 14687) in real time”.

Mr Hayes concluded “Having been successfully tested in the lab on representative gas samples, the next stage of developing the system is to enable users to use live real-time data to drive optimisation of the production process.”

For further information contact Chromacity on +44-131-449-4308, or email sales@chromacitylasers.com.

*This development project received investment from Scottish Government Emerging Energy Technologies Fund (EETF) – see https://www.gov.scot/publications/emerging-energy-technologies-fund-hydrogen-innovation-scheme-successful-projects/

A new report by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) outlines the crucial needs and challenges that must be addressed to boost the hydrogen economy and support the UK in reaching its net zero goals.

The NPL report, “Measurement challenges in the hydrogen sector”, identifies measurement challenges in four areas of the hydrogen economy: production, storage, distribution and end-use. Solving these challenges is integral for growing the hydrogen economy and enabling the UK to reach its net zero goals.

The challenges include:

• Reducing the production cost of electrolytic or “green” hydrogen
• Supporting the rollout of hydrogen storage and distribution infrastructure
• Developing new test facilities capable of advanced material research to support emerging hydrogen technologies
• Filling gaps in regulation, technical and measurement standards across the hydrogen value chain
• Enabling the decarbonisation of different industries by supporting the progression of hydrogen end-use technologies

Commenting on the report, NPL scientist Ali Al-Sikab said, “The last few years has seen increased investment in the rapid development and rollout of hydrogen technologies in the UK. The UK government has committed to channelling up to £500 million into green hydrogen over the parliament in a bid to deliver clean power by 2030. As with many new technologies and innovations, metrology (the science of measurement) lies at the heart of their standardisation and successful operation, which in turn leads to wider commercial uptake.

“NPL is ready to work with government, industry, and academia to solve the needs and challenges identified in the new report so that hydrogen technologies continue to gain momentum as a commercially alternative energy source that contributes significantly to the UK’s energy transition.”

Gas and flame detection
Oil and gas companies constantly scrutinise new technologies that reduce the risks to personnel, property or the environment. At ONS 2024, Teledyne GFD will exhibit a range of portable and fixed detectors. The GD1 hydrogen sulphide (H2S) open-path laser detector, for example, offers high performance while overcoming the obstacles provided by challenging offshore environmental effects that include sun, rain and fog. “This popular device provides fail-safe, rapid responses in up to 98% obscuration,” says the firm.

Visitors can also learn about the GD10P infrared gas detector, which houses features that provide an effective response to the detection of gas hazards in high demand mode SIL2-approved applications. One differentiator of this product is its silicon-based solid-state infrared source. Long service life and robust detector stability help users reduce maintenance and service costs.

The stand will also exhibit the recently introduced Spyglass flame detector. “The product’s integrated high-definition CCTV video delivers clear, rapid imaging of fires,” says the firm. Colour video detects fuel fires like gasoline and jet fuel, while the near-infrared video option detects fires caused by other fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.

Thermal imaging
On the same stand, FLIR a Teledyne technologies company will demonstrate its prowess in helping oil and gas inspectors, managers, and technicians deliver quick thermal imaging solutions to problems that include leak detection and maintaining system integrity. Highlights at ONS 2024 are set to include the G-Series cameras, designed to detect hydrocarbons, methane (CH₄) and other Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from multiple stages of the oil and gas supply chain, as well as other industrial markets.

Under the new EU Methane Regulation, which aims to reduce methane emissions in the energy sector, companies are now required to quantify methane emissions at both the source and site levels. The G-Series range features advanced gas quantification analytics within the camera itself, capable of measuring leak type and severity, ensuring compliance with the new regulation.

Elsewhere on the booth will be the advanced QL320, a quantitative optical gas imaging system for measuring the leak rate of methane and other hydrocarbon emissions captured by FLIR OGI cameras. By adopting the QL320, users no longer require a toxic vapor analyser or similar tool for secondary sampling.

Marine products
Teledyne Marine provides offshore energy equipment for reliable operation in oil fields and wind farms. Although offering a vast plethora of solutions, the focus at ONS 2024 will be subsea distribution units and downhole optical connectors.

The Modular Connectorized Distribution Unit (MCDU), for instance, is a factory-qualified subsea distribution unit that provides oil-filled, pressure-balanced junctions for flexible underwater configurations. ROVs (remote operated vehicles) can easily install and retrieve the unit from the sea floor thanks to the latest compact-frame design which eliminates the requirement for lifting wires.

A further product focus from Teledyne Marine will be the Optical Feedthrough System (OFS). This downhole, ‘wet mateable’ optical connector is for high-pressure/high-temperature environments within a vertical Xmas tree (VXT) valve stack on a subsea wellhead. Providing pressure integrity barriers and optical continuity, the OFS on display will measure 2” (50mm) in diameter and 12” (300mm) long. An associated display screen will show an animation of its operation.

Teledyne experts will be present throughout ONS 2024, ready to discuss the optimal solutions for new projects or existing challenges.

Vinyl producer INEOS Inovyn has begun customer trials with “Europe’s first heavy-duty liquid hydrogen truck”.

“Hydrogen is a game-changing energy solution that will transform truck transportation and help us achieve a zero-emission future,” said Wouter Bleukx, Business Director Hydrogen at INEOS Inovyn. “As both a major producer and consumer of low-carbon hydrogen, INEOS is in a unique position to help drive this change. We are delighted to be working with Daimler Truck.”

The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks are said to be the first heavy-duty liquid hydrogen trucks in Europe, and provide a range of more than 1000 km while able to carry the same payload as a conventional diesel vehicle. “Along with Amazon, Air Products, Holcim and Wiedmann & Winz, we are working with Daimler Truck to run their first trial fleet in Germany,” said the group.

Running over the next 12 months, INEOS said it will make around 250 customer deliveries across the Rheinberg area to understand fuel-cell technology in real-life operations, with an ambition to expand deliveries into Belgium and the Netherlands next year.

Wouter added, “INEOS is committed to reaching Net Zero and Daimler’s pioneering trial, is an exciting opportunity to help accelerate this transition. We transport nearly 3 million tonnes of PVC annually and continually look at ways to reduce our CO2 footprint.”

“INEOS invests in and prioritises hydrogen production and storage, we believe that our innovations are leading the charge in creating a cleaner energy ecosystem that has hydrogen at its heart. We are Europe’s largest operator of electrolysis with over 125 years of experience, but to continue bringing low carbon hydrogen solutions to market we will need significant support from governments to encourage infrastructure investment and business confidence.”

The group said the trial also provides INEOS Inovyn’s PVC customers with the opportunity to reduce Scope 3 emissions and strengthen their own green credentials.

The German Federal Government’s recent approval of the Hydrogen Acceleration Act is a crucial step for transportation and logistics organisations looking to accelerate decarbonisation efforts, writes engineering firm IMI.

The German government has said electrolyser approvals will face “simplified and unbureaucratic” requirements through an amendment to the Fourth Ordinance for the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (BlmSchv). According to Dr. Cornelia Neumann, an expert in PEM electrolyser technology at IMI, streamlining the approvals processes is set to help improve access for organisations looking to adopt small-scale decentralised green hydrogen production technologies.

With Germany’s heavy transport and logistics sector a key driver of hydrogen uptake in the medium- to long-term, this latest development is good news for industry stakeholders looking to invest in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

“Immediate steps must be taken if the transport and logistics sector is to reduce emissions and meet its decarbonisation objectives,” explains Dr. Cornelia Neumann. “However, the rollout of large-scale national hydrogen storage and production infrastructure will take years. Increased availability of other solutions including decentralised electrolyser solutions will help bridge this gap and accelerate widespread adoption of cleaner fuel technologies.

“The success of hydrogen as a greener fuel source will ultimately hinge on its availability at the point of use, so the approval of the Hydrogen Acceleration Act is a welcome step in the right direction. Particularly in harder-to-electrify or rural areas, easier access to modular, scalable and affordable hydrogen production will play a vital role in ensuring widespread adoption of clean hydrogen throughout the transport and logistics sector.”

Green hydrogen holds many promises: it can serve as a ‘battery’ for  energy storage, it can be used in the chemical industry, and its only emission will be water vapour. But, unfortunately, green hydrogen is not yet widely used, because the production of grey hydrogen from natural gas is much cheaper. Moreover, it’s not trivial how we could store hydrogen and, as an indirect greenhouse gas, hydrogen is not as clean as it looks. Researchers of the University of Groningen discuss the challenges it currently presents.

Hydrogen is the smallest, simplest element that was at the beginning of all other things. Just after the Big Bang, the universe was shrouded in a mist of hydrogen, and this oldest element is still all around us: in water (H₂O), natural gas (with main component methane CH₄), and ammonia (NH₃).

On its own, hydrogen hardly exists in nature: it is almost always bonded to something else. But it is possible to separate hydrogen from other elements and make it form a molecule of its own (H₂). To make this happen, you need to add some energy. When the hydrogen molecule is allowed to bond again, this energy will be released, though with some energy loss.

How humans want to use hydrogen
Now, the idea is that if you split water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules, using energy from renewable sources, the result would be a ‘green battery’. When the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, you can use the excess power supply of solar panels and wind turbines to make hydrogen. Allowing hydrogen to bond with oxygen again results in the production of water and the release of energy.

Because hydrogen likes to bond to other elements, there are many more applications: think of farmers spreading fertilizer (based on ammonia (NH₃)) on their land, or hairdressers bleaching hair with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). For these products, we mostly use so-called grey hydrogen, obtained from natural gas, with carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a by-product. The reason is simple: Hydrogen from water is currently about five times more expensive than hydrogen made from other elements.

That is why researchers from the University of Groningen are working on the efficient and affordable production of hydrogen made from water as well as applications in, for instance, transportation and the chemical industry.

Storing hydrogen is not easy
Once we have determined how to produce cheap, efficient, green hydrogen, it needs to be stored somewhere, or transported to the place where it is needed.  Would it not be convenient if hydrogen gas could simply be transported and stored like natural gas is now? We’d just transport it through our existing pipe lines and store it in empty gas fields underground.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Hydrogen is the smallest element there is and the hydrogen molecule (H₂) is much smaller than natural gas. If we were to transport hydrogen through our existing pipe lines, it would possibly escape through tiny cracks. What’s even worse, it can affect other materials, making metal as brittle as glass, such that it can easily shatter into pieces.

That is why UG researchers will also investigate what happens to the materials that may be used for storing and transporting hydrogen.

Is hydrogen really green?
Then, there is one question that remains: even though we call it green, is hydrogen really green? Hydrogen from water made with renewable energy sounds wonderful, as well as the emission of only clear water vapour when hydrogen is used in applications. Nonetheless, it is important to monitor what will happen in the atmosphere when hydrogen escapes through potential cracks.

Hydrogen is an indirect greenhouse gas, which means that on its own, it does no harm, but through reactions that take place in the atmosphere, it does. Specifically, these reactions lead to more methane, ozone and water vapour high up in the atmosphere, which all result in global warming.

For now, it is not really a problem if small amounts of hydrogen leak into the atmosphere. But what if we fully focus on hydrogen as a green solution for the future? Then, it will be very important that we monitor and understand what happens to hydrogen in the atmosphere, because of its potential climate impact. That is why UG researchers are taking measurements in the air, and develop models of hydrogen leakage and how this effects the atmosphere.

The Northern Netherlands are the Hydrogen Valley Campus Europe . Here, we have years of experience with natural gas, it’s also the place where green energy comes ashore (from wind turbines in the North Sea), and where universities, universities of applied sciences and vocational schools are working on new research and on teaching the next generation of engineers for the hydrogen economy of the future. This article marks the start of a series on hydrogen research at the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Groningen.

Biomethane-to-hydrogen (and graphene) climate technology comes to Worthy Farm

Clean hydrogen developer, Hexla, and British climate tech firm Levidian have joined forces to bring Levidian’s LOOP technology to Worthy Farm in Somerset in what’s described as a world first example of carbon-negative hydrogen production from biomethane.

Home to the Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm currently produces power using an anaerobic digestion plant that turns tens of thousands of tonnes of cow slurry and waste silage into energy. The LOOP technology will allow the farm to capture the carbon from some of the biomethane produced as part of this process and turn it into super-material graphene and clean hydrogen, which will be used to generate electricity through the existing combined heat and power plant.

The installation is expected to deliver a saving of up to 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, while the graphene will be sold as an additive to boost the performance of products as wide-ranging as batteries, concrete and plastics.

Hexla is providing funding to support the development of an industrial-scale LOOP1000 that will deliver the lowest cost clean hydrogen in the world over the lifetime of the plant as a result of the production of high-quality graphene. Hexla and Levidian have also agreed a Collaboration Agreement under which Hexla will become a global deployment partner of the LOOP technology with plans to deliver up to 300 LOOP1000 units that will drive down the emission of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2e per year.

Hexla Founder Andy Yeow said: “Since early 2019, our team has been researching clean hydrogen production technologies around the world, so it is a great pleasure to be announcing what we expect to be the first of many successful deployments in conjunction with Levidian today. The Levidian LOOP, with its unique solid carbon by-product of high-quality graphene, is the standout technology – from both a thermal efficiency and marginal cost basis – in an extremely competitive field.”

“We are proud to be playing a key role in the scale-up of this truly game-changing technology and are focused on deploying it on an industrial scale to some of the most attractive hydrogen production markets in the world.”

Levidian CEO John Hartley said: “The Worthy Farm project is a great example of innovation within the agricultural sector and an important showcase of the vast flexibility and potential of our technology in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries, while unlocking new revenue streams.

“We’re delighted to be working with Hexla to help further our aims for this pioneering technology, including the development of our LOOP1000 unit, which will deliver industrial-scale levels of decarbonisation and place us amongst the best available carbon capture technology on the market.”

An independent¹ trial of Advanced Hydrogen Technologies (AHT) Group’s carbon clean and capture device has reported significantly lower emissions and increased fuel efficiency from a Class 08 locomotive, says the group.

During the breakthrough two-week testing² on a 1960s shunter – carried out at the world-class Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in the West Midlands – overall exhaust gas emissions were reduced by 22% and heavy particulates by 20%, while diesel efficiency savings of 8% were achieved too.

This groundbreaking study is a joint venture partnership between cleantech pioneers AHT and Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) who are leaders in the storage and maintenance of rail vehicles. It forms part of the Clean Futures programme recently run by the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), which includes the unique Rail Development & Test facility at its £32million site in Dudley.

The first week of testing saw AHT’s revolutionary four cell system hydrogen generator³ ‘clean’ the HNRC’s Class 08 locomotive by removing residual carbon build up, which is worst in diesel and older engines, while the following week a bespoke ‘capture’ device was added, which further reduced harmful emissions and particulates to complete the process.

Marcus Mayers of HNRC said: “This was the ideal opportunity to solve the pressing issue of how to measure and quantify the benefits of hydrogen, which has been holding us back for years. Access to both AHT’s specialist technology and BCIMO’s outstanding testing facilities has given us the data and backing we need to have a proven business investment case for upgrading our locomotives.”

AHT CEO, Ben Kattenhorn, commented: “These landmark results are further proof that our award-winning proprietary technology reduces carbon footprint and fuel costs, while helping businesses meet their Net Zero targets. We also know these figures get even better over time, because a recent 18-month study on HGVs reduced the worst emissions by over 91%.

“Rail is one of the sectors most under scrutiny, but Engine Carbon Clean and Capture offers an immediate solution – also restoring engine efficiency and power, lowering maintenance costs, extending the lifespan of assets and aligning with the new ESG requirements of the International Financial Reporting Standards mandate.”

During testing, a baseline reading was compared with those generated post clean after the R4 hydrogen generator was fitted, which determined the average 8% fuel saving. Likewise, individual emissions reductions of 27% Carbon Monoxide, 8% Carbon Dioxide, 22% Nitric Oxide, 12% Nitrogen Dioxide and 39% Formaldehyde were achieved.

The capture device further reduced particulate matter by a fifth (20%) and specifically those less than 2.5 micron in diameter, which are strongly associated with detrimental health effects. Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 remain airborne for long periods and can be drawn deeper into the lungs and bloodstream.

The way the hydrogen is delivered means it is not detrimental to any component within the engine – it only targets carbon build-up – so streamlining heavy duty commercial vehicles in this way can benefit a business from both a cost-cutting and environmental perspective and without removing any parts or using any harsh chemicals.

What’s more, AHT’s Engine Carbon Clean & Capture system is completely modular and can be fitted to any sized or type of locomotive and will soon be mainline certified to give tangible results that contribute to the bottom line – see visual 1 on typical locomotive savings per annum.

Notes
[1] Carried out in March 2024 by independent testing specialists Atmo, who use the latest software, IoT and data analysis to optimise asset usage and reduce environmental emissions.
[2] Over 17,000 air pollutant and exhaust gas emission readings were taken via MCERTS-accredited air quality sensors. Each testing day followed the same methodology with newly calibrated sensors keeping track and tunnel location, air quality sensor placement, loco speed, plus amps consistent for every test.
[3] This revolutionary system takes ordinary tap water and turns it into pure medical-grade hydrogen and oxygen on demand, which can be used in multiple disciplines and industries. The water to be processed does not require cleaning as the AHT R4 Generator has a unique military-grade filter which prepares even unclean water for use. When burned, the sole by-product is harmless water.