Hydrogen

An engineer working in a lab wearing a lab coat and protective glasses.

Hydrogen as an economic sector has huge potential. It offers the scope to deliver energy security, acceleration to net zero and reduce Britain’s productivity gap. By 2030, the sector will support over 12,000 high skilled jobs and unlock up to £11 billion in private investment and by 2050 hydrogen could deliver 20-35% of the UK’s energy.

Loughborough University is host to world leading expertise for research and innovation in renewable energy and has a strong track record of partnership development leveraging sector-leading research to accelerate innovative technologies for a reduced carbon future.

Our work and partnerships

Loughborough University has well established partnerships that cover a wide range of expertise across the energy sector. These include:

Loughborough University’s Science and Enterprise Park has a thriving energy and net zero cluster co-located on campus, which comprises disruptors and global organisations spanning oil and gas, energy storage, renewables and net zero transport power.

The East Midlands is home to 10% more manufacturing jobs than the UK average, 20% more transport manufacturing jobs and 500% more air and space related jobs, so there is the potential to harness and grow the expertise in the region.

Loughborough University and Rolls-Royce hydrogen research project to achieve net zero aviation

Four engineers in a lab working on a hydrogen project for Rolls-Royce.

Recent hydrogen-related work includes supporting a Rolls-Royce hydrogen research project with a world industry first, in partnership with easyJet, by leading in the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology capable of powering a range of aircrafts. This work supported by Loughborough University is a huge step towards achieving net zero aviation.

Working with Loughborough’s National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology (NCCAT) and the German Aerospace Centre Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR), Rolls-Royce has proven a critical engine technology that marks a significant step in the journey to enabling hydrogen as an aviation fuel. Tests on a full annular combustor of a Pearl 700 engine at DLR in Cologne running on 100% hydrogen have proven the fuel can be combusted at conditions that represent maximum take-off thrust. This is major advancement towards the use of hydrogen in aviation.

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce said that “Controlling the combustion process is one of the key technology challenges the industry faces in making hydrogen a real aviation fuel of the future.”

Rolls-Royce receives support for hydrogen research through the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute HyEST programme, Germany’s LUFO 6 WOTAN programme, and the European Union’s Clean Aviation CAVENDISH programme. Loughborough is a partner in HyEST and CAVENDISH. DLR is a partner in WOTAN and CAVENDISH. easyJet has provided investment to support the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology for narrow-body aircraft.

What can we offer?

Loughborough University offers large-scale research & innovation endeavour. We are home to one of the UK's largest Green Hydrogen Group research groups - developing and applying the technologies for greener future. Our new Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Hydrogen will be in place for December 2023.

We have a strong track record on specialist education and skills development. The East Midlands Institute of Technology is a £13m initiative creating the advanced workforce in clean energy for industry's future.

In collaboration with our thriving industry partners, we are working on 60 hydrogen-related businesses for future opportunities.

More information about our hydrogen capabilities