RGU and leading energy firm secure funding for hydrogen project

The project, which is being funded from Interface through the Scottish Funding Council, will conduct a feasibility study on affordable and portable hydrogen storage pressure vessels. The overall aim is to develop low cost, lightweight hydrogen storage and distribution pressure vessels that can be utilised in many industries and on a global scale. This project idea follows Glacier Energy’s track record in pressure vessel design and manufacture and understanding of the future significant requirement to store and distribute hydrogen.

RGU and Glacier Energy will work in collaboration on this project, using a blend of metal and composite material to provide a lightweight, cost-effective, safe and scalable hydrogen storage pressure vessel.

Tracie Watson, Business Development Director at Glacier Energy commented: “We are delighted to secure funding in combination with Robert Gordon University to develop the next generation of hydrogen storage and distribution vessels. As a UK manufacturer, it is important to support the UK Hydrogen Strategy to achieve 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.”

Andy Scott, Heat Transfer Director at Glacier Energy added: “This is a great win for the team and is a major step forward along with our ongoing carbon capture scopes to support our strategic diversification into the renewable market. We are applying our extensive expertise and years of know-how from Oil and Gas projects to support renewable energy scopes as we move towards a zero-carbon future.”

Glacier Energy has extensive expertise in metallic components which will be complemented by Professor James Njuguna and his team, of Robert Gordon University’s knowledge in composite materials, product design and polymer composite materials.

Part of the project will be undertaken at the National Subsea Centre (NSC), the multi-million-pound Centre of Excellence for subsea research and technology development, created in partnership between RGU and the Net Zero Technology Centre. Professor James Njuguna will be supported by NSC Integrated Energy Research Assistant, Jemma Reynolds and Research Fellow, Dr Auwalu Mohammed.

Professor James Njuguna of RGU and Integrated Energy Lead at NSC said: “Hydrogen is a critical part of future energy supply and security. The backbone of hydrogen economy success is its storage systems. This collaboration offers a great opportunity in warranting this success by exploiting lightweight composite materials to improve the quality and availability of the compressed gas vessels in the value chain.”