Scientists from the University of Strathclyde and Technische Universität Braunschweig have partnered to create a digital toolbox for hydrogen production in Europe.
The Scottish Government-funded Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) has developed a programme called, the Scotland-Germany Hydrogen Scheme. The programme seeks to enable both research and practice-based partnerships between Scotland and Germany to investigate the future utilisation of hydrogen. This RSE scheme is currently funding three higher education institutions in Scotland, including the University of Strathclyde.
This has led to a unique collaboration between the University of Strathclyde and the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig), who have partnered to create a digital toolkit for hydrogen production.
DiTo-H2 – a novel hydrogen project
The strategic partnership between the two universities arose through a shared commitment to CESAER, which is a network of over 50 science and technology universities in Europe. Since 2019, the two have been exchanging research efforts, particularly in their joint hydrogen project, DiTo-H2, which is being funded through the Scotland-Germany Hydrogen Research Scheme.
The project is intended to facilitate the creation of a modelling framework that charts technological innovations at various levels and quantifies how material developments in the field translate into performance enhancements at the electrolyser and energy grid level. It is hoped that this framework will lead to fast decision-making on the value of integrating new materials and technologies as they emerge.
Facilitating advanced hydrogen research
“In addition to the intensive technical exchange and the exciting work on several scales of hydrogen production, we also see the project that is now starting as a great opportunity to establish a long-term international research partnership with all project participants. An integral part of the project is a workshop in which important players in German and Scottish hydrogen research will network beyond the project consortium and develop future research strategies and subsequently design further joint project proposals around green hydrogen,” explained Professor Daniel Schröder, head of the Institute of Energy and Systems Process Engineering at TU Braunschweig.
“Green hydrogen is high on our research agenda. Networking in Europe is only logical in order to work together with our partner, to share knowledge and to arrive more quickly at solutions for one of the most pressing goals, the move away from fossil fuels. That is why I am particularly pleased to be launching a strategic partnership with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland in the near future and to be intensifying our joint activities,” added Professor Angela Ittel, President of TU Braunschweig.
This exciting project will be led by Dr Dragos Neagu, a Chancellor’s Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, alongside colleagues at the University’s Advanced Forming Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Environment and Power Networks Demonstration Centre.
Addressing priorities in the diffusion of hydrogen
Speaking on the project, Dr Neagu commented: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to carry out our research, which will address key national and international priorities in the diffusion of hydrogen and support early commercialisation and application in communities and industry. I am excited to work with an internationally high-level team that combines knowledge from materials, manufacturing, electrical engineering, and electrochemistry. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Scottish Power and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Employment, Transport, and Digitalisation for their support of the project.”
Decarbonising the energy system with hydrogen production and use
Strathclyde Principal Professor Sir Jim McDonald concluded: “The production and use of hydrogen offer significant opportunities to decarbonise our energy system and meet the needs of communities and industries, while helping to meet global climate change and net zero targets. The COP26 conference, held in our home city of Glasgow, reminded us all of the urgency of these goals and the potential consequences of missing them.
“Together with our partners at the Technical University of Braunschweig and with the support of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, our research will accelerate the implementation of Scotland’s Hydrogen Action Plan and make further progress towards a net zero future.”
