The University of Sheffield is set to produce more green hydrogen than any other UK research centre, thanks to new equipment that will support vital research to help decarbonise the aviation industry.

Sheffield’s Energy Institute is installing a new hydrogen electrolyser – technology that produces hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The equipment will be used in research to develop and test new hydrogen-based sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).

The electrolyser, from IMI Remosa under the new brand IMI VIVO, is being installed in the University’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC) – the UK’s first R&D facility that is able to develop, test, validate and help certify new fuels all in one location. The facility, along with the new electrolyser, gives the UK much-needed R&D capabilities in SAFs and can play a major role in helping reduce the environmental impact of air travel.

SAFs are seen as a vital step in reducing global carbon emissions. The aviation industry is responsible for around seven per cent of total carbon emissions in the UK alone and this number is growing fast.