Hydrogen Research Unit

Current Research Programmes

In addition to the Renewable Hydrogen Research and Development Centre, there are a number of of funded projects being undertaken by staff in the Hydrogen Research Unit. Crops rich in carbohydrates which can be grown economically in the UK can be fermented to produce hydrogen in a process related to anaerobic digestion. Food industry co-products can also be converted to hydrogen by this process as can sewage sludge. Work at pilot plant scale on each of these energy spources is ongoing.

With an EPSRC grant we are investigating the sustainable production of hydrogen from starch, beet and grass using bacteria from natural sources. We are evaluating the operating conditions giving improved yields of hydrogen.

With a grant from the Carbon Trust’s LCIP programme we are investigating the feasibility of sustainable hydrogen production from starch industry co-products, industrial partners are Rank Hovis and the Hydrogen Solar Production Company.

The Unit is also part of the EPSRC’s £11 million SUPERGEN programme. This programme sets up virtual centres of research on important themes of renewable power generation and supply. One of these, the UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium (SHEC), with other UK universities selected by EPSRC, explores the possibilities for hydrogen as a fuel for the future. The 4-year programme which has now been extended for a further 4 years, targets fundamental multidisciplinary research challenges in production, storage, distribution and utilisation of sustainable hydrogen as an energy carrier, including socio-economic aspects. The Hydrogen Research Unit at the University of Glamorgan is investigating the basic science of fermentative hydrogen generation using a year-round rotation of crops. The work has resulted in pilot-scale reactors at three locations.


Hydrogen Research Unit Hydrogen Centre Events Publications Wales' Hydrogen Vision The team Hydrogen links Contact us Appointments Home	University of Glamorgan Hydrogen Research Unit The Hydrogen Research Unit (HRU) is part of the University of Glamorgan's Sustainable Environment Research Centre (SERC). The aims of the Centre are: To produce high quality scientific research in sustainable environmental technologies To advance knowledge and provide trained scientists and engineers to meet the needs of industry To enhance the standing of the University of Glamorgan both nationally and internationally
	Current Research Programmes In addition to the Renewable Hydrogen Research and Development Centre, there are a number of of funded projects being undertaken by staff in the Hydrogen Research Unit. Crops rich in carbohydrates which can be grown economically in the UK can be fermented to produce hydrogen in a process related to anaerobic digestion. Food industry co-products can also be converted to hydrogen by this process as can sewage sludge. Work at pilot plant scale on each of these energy spources is ongoing. With an EPSRC grant we are investigating the sustainable production of hydrogen from starch, beet and grass using bacteria from natural sources. We are evaluating the operating conditions giving improved yields of hydrogen. With a grant from the Carbon Trust’s LCIP programme we are investigating the feasibility of sustainable hydrogen production from starch industry co-products, industrial partners are Rank Hovis and the Hydrogen Solar Production Company. The Unit is also part of the EPSRC’s £11 million SUPERGEN programme. This programme sets up virtual centres of research on important themes of renewable power generation and supply. One of these, the UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium (SHEC), with other UK universities selected by EPSRC, explores the possibilities for hydrogen as a fuel for the future. The 4-year programme which has now been extended for a further 4 years, targets fundamental multidisciplinary research challenges in production, storage, distribution and utilisation of sustainable hydrogen as an energy carrier, including socio-economic aspects. The Hydrogen Research Unit at the University of Glamorgan is investigating the basic science of fermentative hydrogen generation using a year-round rotation of crops. The work has resulted in pilot-scale reactors at three locations.