Engineering news
Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas will collaborate on the £1m research project, which aims to advance techniques that use thermochemical reactions to produce hydrogen from biomass and other waste materials.
Researchers will also explore solutions to address scalability and storage – some of the main barriers to wider use of hydrogen – to promote adoption globally.
The work will initially focus on utilising the estimated 4m tonnes of waste and by-products created by distilleries in the UK, and the approximately 127m tonnes of agriculture waste generated annually in Malaysia. The academic team will also explore the use of depleted oil wells for pure hydrogen storage, without the need to add natural gas for stability.
“Hydrogen is seen as a key contributor to the energy transition, but current production and storage methods face multiple scalability challenges,” said Professor Raffaella Ocone, research leader at the Heriot-Watt Institute of Geoenergy Engineering.
“Biomass and biomass-derived fuels can be used to produce hydrogen sustainably, and our multidisciplinary team is uniquely placed to address the current barriers by bringing together engineers, scientists, geologists, and industry partners.
“Our research will initially develop new technologies to process and create hydrogen from different biomass waste products, completing a circular economy pathway and producing higher volumes than those currently achievable from existing production methods.
“Our focus will be on technology that can scale, because hydrogen remains a small contributor to our overall energy mix. For net zero ambitions to be met, this needs to change rapidly. Collaborators will be essential for the success of this research, and we welcome like-minded partners to join us.”
Heriot-Watt chemical and process engineering assistant professor, Dr Aimaro Sanna, a co-investigator in the project, said: “Creating new energy sources from waste products solves numerous global challenges, including reducing landfill and minimising carbon emissions. This hydrogen research is a significant step towards addressing the increased waste generated year-on-year across multiple sectors, as well as building the potential for hydrogen as a sustainable energy source of the future.”
Petronas head of research and technology, Dr Gboyega Bishop Falope, said: “We are confident this research will elevate the contribution hydrogen can make as part of the world’s energy mix, and to be part of the holistic solution that brings forth a sustainable future.”
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