Keele University unveils pioneering facility producing hydrogen from excess renewable energy

A pioneering new hub which enables hydrogen to be produced directly on campus from excess renewable energy has been launched at Keele University.

The Green Hydrogen Generation Hub, launched yesterday, will be used by researchers to develop and test the next generation of materials and infrastructure needed to support hydrogen as a form of energy storage.

Hydrogen has a great potential to replace fossil-based processes in multiple sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The hydrogen at Keele is generated from an electrolyser on the university campus, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules, with the oxygen released into the atmosphere while the hydrogen is stored for future use.

It is classed as ‘green’ hydrogen; meaning it creates little or no environmental impact in the generation process. The electrolyser is powered by excess renewable electricity generated on campus by two wind turbines and 12,200 solar panels at the university’s on-site renewable energy generation park via Keele’s Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND). 

This on-site generation and distribution sets Keele apart from many other institutions that rely on imported hydrogen.

Hydrogen is already being used to fuel two hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai cars that have joined the university’s vehicle fleet, with further research into hydrogen technologies planned, which could play a crucial role in future efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Senior leaders in energy policy, climate science and industry were among guests at the launch, which showcased the electrolyser and Keele’s hydrogen ambitions.

Those in attendance included representatives from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, politicians including former Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change Baroness Luciana Berger and manufacturers such as JCB, Toyota, Mueller and Lucideon.

The university has been a leader in hydrogen and low carbon energy research and innovation for many years, from conducting the first pilot of blending hydrogen into a live gas grid on campus with the HyDeploy trial, to leading the HyDEX project to prepare the Midlands for the hydrogen economy. 

Dr Charlie Creissen, Senior Lecturer in Electrochemistry and leader of the HyDEX project at Keele, said the hub’s launch marks a ‘major milestone on the path to a more sustainable future.’

He added: “By demonstrating how green hydrogen can be produced from excess renewable electricity, our facilities offer critical insights into how hydrogen can be deployed at a national scale to reduce emissions across multiple sectors.”

Baroness Luciana Berger, Chair of the Energy Storage Association and former Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, said: “I’m really impressed by the ambition of the team here at Keele, and the exciting potential that this project shows for hydrogen generated from renewable sources to create a more sustainable world.

“Innovation like this is desperately needed globally if we are to tackle the climate crisis. With research and infrastructure like this the UK can play a major role to help us all to transition to a lower-carbon future.”