Government Delegation Visits Brunel University London to Tour Hydrogen Facilities
A delegation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) visited campus on 17 August to learn about Brunel University London’s exciting vision to support the rapid development of the UK’s hydrogen economy.
Brunel Hydrogen’s unique approach is to integrate research in the fields of social, digital and physical science, within the UK’s first specialist hydrogen MSc, and in facilities that will provide integrated testing, piloting and scale-up of new hydrogen technologies.
The ambitious plan responds to the Government’s own ambitions to define the role of hydrogen in its decarbonisation strategy and in meeting its 2050 Net Zero target.
Part of the DESNZ delegation visiting Brunel, Chief Scientific Advisor Prof Paul Monks provides advice to ministers and policymakers within the department.
On hearing Brunel Hydrogen’s plans and the extensive consultation behind the scheme, he said: “I liken hydrogen to Champagne. It’s often seen as the solution to everything, but it’s important that it has the right impact, and that means having a clear focus on using it in the right way.
“I’m really happy to hear about plans here at Brunel to focus on both new technology and people. Often we forget about people – and social adoption is really important too.”
Following introductions to the Brunel Hydrogen team, the delegation was taken on a tour of Brunel’s engines lab and chemical engineering department, before visiting BCAST’s metal casting and processing facilities.
Brunel Hydrogen’s multidisciplinary approach aims to bring new thinking to the technical and commercial challenges that face industry, focusing on an innovative and integrative approach in the ‘messy middle’ between production and application of hydrogen technologies.
Following consultation, the team are looking to create a hydrogen-specialised MSc with a multidisciplinary make-up that includes engineering, policy, chemistry, economics and social science elements. While a further consultation exercise will start shortly to clarify what’s needed in order to develop exemplar facilities that can make a considerable difference to the UK’s hydrogen economy.