NZTC Awards £500K to Accelerate UK Electrolyser Tech
The UK electrolyser technology sector has received a boost with the announcement of three winners of the Net Zero Technology Centre’s (NZTC) 2024 electrolyser funding competition.
Launched back in March, the competition was created to find and fund innovative solutions to improve electrolyser efficiency.
Efficient electrolysers are key to cost-effective and large-scale green hydrogen production. Research from phase one of NZTC’s Energy Hubs project identified the need to accelerate the development of next-generation electrolyser technologies to meet future domestic and global hydrogen demand.
With this in mind, Aberdeen-headquartered NZTC is pushing forward the development of prototypes, with a goal to pilot. This initiative aims to scale the Scottish supply chain and establish an export market.
Electrolyser Tech Competition Winners
Thirty-six applications were received from around the globe, with three UK-based electrolyser developers selected. Each will each receive a share of the £500,000 funding to accelerate the development of their technology.
The winners are:
- Clyde Hydrogen Systems, whose breakthrough, decoupled electrolysis technology offers flexibility and opportunities not possible with existing electrolysers.
- Aqsorption Ltd, whose high-pressure, membraneless electrolyser technology is designed to be more efficient and operate at higher pressures than other technologies, with reduced maintenance costs.
- And Latent Drive, whose SeaStack technology is a direct seawater-to-hydrogen electrolyser with a unique cell design to exploit the properties of seawater, eliminating the need for desalination and purification of the feed water.
Enabling Gigawatt-scale Energy Hubs
NZTC’s Energy Hubs project aims to develop energy infrastructure across Scotland to produce large-scale green hydrogen and alternative fuels by harnessing the country’s natural resources.
The hydrogen produced in Energy Hubs could transform Scotland into a leading exporter of green hydrogen, with plans to export over 0.9 million tonnes to Europe every year via a dedicated hydrogen pipeline.
Electrolysers, which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, are a critical technology for success.
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Competition and Funding Commentary
Speaking on the competition and the funding, Darren Gee, who serves as ETF programme manager at NZTC, said:
Electrolyser technology is an exciting sector right now, and the technological breakthroughs of today will pave the way for the green energy solutions of tomorrow.
“In Phase 1 of our Energy Hubs project, we identified an urgent need to accelerate the efficiency of electrolyser operation. In Phase 2, we are taking action.
Together with key industry partners, we identified three groundbreaking UK technologies from a remarkably strong field of applicants. These technologies are scalable and have the potential to significantly push the boundaries of hydrogen production.
“By supporting technologies at an early stage of their development, we have an opportunity to drive this technology forwards and make a direct impact on the future of green hydrogen production in Scotland.”
Alasdair Allan, the acting minister for climate action, also commented:
Our energy sector, and the development of green hydrogen in particular, will play a crucial role in growing Scotland’s economy and delivering on our net zero targets.
“I am pleased to see this welcome progress in funding innovation in large scale green hydrogen production, supported by the Scottish Government’s Energy Transition Fund.”
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NZTC Awards £500K to Accelerate UK Electrolyser Tech, source
