RGU-Led Consortium Secures £800k for Nuclear-Powered Hydrogen Production Technology

Major Funding for Clean Hydrogen Breakthrough

Robert Gordon University has reportedly secured an £800,000 grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to accelerate low-carbon energy solutions, according to university announcements. The funding will support researchers in developing advanced hydrogen production technology that utilizes waste steam generated by nuclear energy facilities.

Major Funding for Clean Hydrogen Breakthrough
Next-Generation Electrolysis Technology
Collaborative Research Initiative
Nuclear Integration for Decarbonization
Building Research Excellence

Next-Generation Electrolysis Technology

The project focuses on advancing solid oxide steam electrolysers (SOSE), which sources indicate are highly efficient systems that produce clean hydrogen using electricity and heat from renewable and nuclear sources. Analysts suggest this technology represents a significant step forward in sustainable hydrogen production methods.

Professor Nadimul Faisal, who leads the research team at RGU’s School of Computing, Engineering and Technology, stated that “Hydrogen is central to achieving the UK’s net-zero goals. This investment allows us to push forward the science and engineering needed to make solid oxide steam electrolysis commercially viable.”

Collaborative Research Initiative

The research, known as METASIS 2.0, builds upon previous work and involves collaboration with multiple institutions, including the University of Surrey, Aston University, and the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory. Reports indicate that more than a dozen additional partners are contributing to the project’s development.

Dr. Bahman Amini Horri from the University of Surrey explained that “We are developing the next generation of steam electrolysers to produce sustainable hydrogen in an efficient and affordable way. The technology uses innovative heterogeneous electrolyte composites recently developed at the University of Surrey.”

Nuclear Integration for Decarbonization

According to project documentation, the technology integrates coating layers applied to traditional porous ferritic steel tubes, serving as a cost-effective manufacturing method. The report states that this approach builds on previous work where researchers designed tubular cells capable of withstanding the high temperatures between 600-900°C associated with SOSE systems.

Dr. Mark Bankhead of the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory commented that “We at UKNNL are looking forward to supporting the team and to encourage the development of low-TRL technologies that could increase the potential of new nuclear to drive decarbonisation.” Sources indicate the laboratory previously supported the team in earlier grant awards and sees significant potential in utilizing both heat and electrical power from nuclear reactors to produce low-carbon hydrogen fuel.

Building Research Excellence

Professor Mamdud Hossain of RGU noted that the university has “built an excellent reputation in hydrogen research, both applied through a number of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and increasingly on curiosity-driven research as evidenced by the back-to-back EPSRC grants.” This suggests growing institutional capability in sustainable energy research.

The development of efficient hydrogen production technology is considered crucial for achieving climate targets, with hydrogen positioned as a key clean energy carrier. The advancement of electrolysis technologies using nuclear energy sources reportedly represents an important pathway toward scalable, low-carbon hydrogen production.

References

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Revolutionary Solid Electrolyte Development

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