There is a growing focus in many countries on the roles that hydrogen and fuel cell (H2FC) technologies are likely to have in their future low-carbon energy systems. This report examines whether the UK is well placed to develop and secure some of the economic opportunities associated with this market, both in the UK and abroad, as part of the UK Government’s focus on clean growth. The report identifies barriers and opportunities for the UK in emerging hydrogen and fuel cell value chains by comparing a range of UK and global energy decarbonisation studies and by surveying 196 companies working on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, ranging from micro spin-offs to multinational companies with H2FC divisions. The authors make twelve recommendations to encourage hydrogen and fuel cell innovation in the UK by:

• creating separate strategic visions for hydrogen and fuel cells;
• fostering UK hydrogen and fuel cell markets; and,
• nurturing a vibrant UK innovation ecosystem.

Format

Insights from the new report will be presented by the main author Dr Paul Dodds. His presentation will be followed by commentary and a live Q&A discussion with panel members. The event will be chaired by Professor Nigel Brandon.

Panel

• Dr Paul Dodds, University College London
• Suzanne Ellis, Johnson Matthey
• Dr David Hart, E4Tech
• Chaired by: Professor Nigel Brandon, Imperial College London
• Co-chair: Professor Nilay Shah, Imperial College London

Biographies

Dr Paul Dodds

Paul Dodds is Associate Professor in Energy Systems at University College London. He specialises in energy systems modelling and led the development of the UK TIMES energy systems model, which was used by the UK Government to inform the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy. Paul leads on socioeconomic and policy research for the UK’s H2FC Supergen Hub. He represents the UK Government at International Energy Agency programmes on hydrogen and energy systems.”

Suzanne Ellis

Suzanne Ellis has 25 years industrial R&D experience working for Johnson Matthey, where she started as a graduate chemist. She has worked on projects across the Low Carbon space, including process catalysis, decarbonized hydrogen, fuel cells, hydrogen storage, carbon capture, greenhouse gas abatement, plastics recycling, photovoltaics, biorenewables and critical raw materials recycling. She is currently the Research Director for JM’s Efficient Natural Resources sector; this role covers research strategy, innovation excellence, new product introduction and the identification and development of future growth opportunities.

Dr David Hart

David Hart is a Director of E4tech, a Switzerland- and UK-based business consulting company specialising in sustainable energy, and a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. David is responsible for E4tech’s fuel cell and hydrogen energy practice, and has been an advisor, consultant and researcher on fuel cells and hydrogen energy for 25 years, leading and conducting projects in different industry sectors for governments, corporations and investors worldwide. He has sat on venture capital investment committees and clean energy company boards, is a Director of the International Association of Hydrogen Energy and chairs the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium Steering Committee.

Professor Nigel Brandon

Nigel Brandon OBE FREng is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. His research is focused on electrochemical devices for energy applications, with a particular focus on fuel cells, electrolysers, and batteries. Nigel is a Director of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells SUPERGEN Hub, a founder of Ceres Power, a UK AIM listed fuel cell company spun out from Imperial College in 2000, a chair of the Sustainable Gas Institute at Imperial College, and a founder of RFC Power, a flow battery company spun out from Imperial College in 2018. He was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering Silver Medal in 2007, the Inst Civil Engineers Baker Medal in 2011, and the ASME Francis Bacon Medal in 2014, for his contribution to fuel cell science and engineering.

Professor Nilay Shah

Nilay Shah is the Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and formerly the Director of the Centre for Process Systems Engineering (CPSE) at Imperial, and a Chemical Engineer by training. He has co-authored over 200 technical papers on process systems modelling and engineering, design and optimisation of low carbon energy and systems, process technologies, life cycle analysis and process safety and risk assessment. Nilay Shah has received several awards and he is particularly interested in the transfer of technology from academia to industry.