BEIS Hydrogen Supply Programme Phase 1

Key Features

A share of up to £5 million available for organisations to conduct feasibility studies to accelerate the development of low carbon bulk hydrogen supply solutions.

Programme:     BEIS

Award:     Share of up to £5 million

Opens: 1st Jul 2018

Closes: 5th Dec 2018

! This scheme is now closed

Overview

The BEIS Energy Innovation portfolio has four key challenges to address:

  1. To ensure hydrogen can be used safely in buildings
  2. To support industry to explore how to switch to hydrogen (and other fuels), away from higher carbon fuels
  3. To understand the potential role of power to gas for energy storage
  4. To reduce the cost of low carbon hydrogen (which is currently higher than natural gas)

The Hydrogen Supply Programme aims to address the fourth key challenge by accelerating the development of low carbon bulk hydrogen supply solutions for industry, power, buildings and transport which are currently at a technology readiness level (TRL) between 4 and 7, which could either result in lower capital and operating costs when compared to today’s solution for production of bulk low carbon hydrogen or improve the emissions saving potential at a comparable cost.

The programme will take a portfolio approach to funding and aims to fund a range of different solutions which could include:

  • Fossil fuel reformation with carbon capture
  • Offshore production
  • Electrolysis
  • Biohydrogen
  • Import opportunities
  • Storage of hydrogen

Scope

As part of this feasibility study, BEIS expect projects to include:

  • An assessment of the market size and export opportunities for the technology for bulk low carbon hydrogen supply.
  • A detailed engineering design for each hydrogen supply solution, against which an assessment could be made on a number of metrics which is likely to include; capital and operating costs; process risks (reliability); the availability and the impact of variable demand; the hydrogen quality; the potential to mitigate greenhouse gases; the build rate; and how the process could be scaled. Process modelling or smallscale trials may also be required to verify the design.
  • A detailed development plan for each solution describing the key development steps to commercialisation, including the key barriers and risks. This should include a detailed focus on the component(s) to be piloted in Phase 2. Each step will be costed.
  • A detailed assessment of the business plan on how the process will continue to be developed after the funding for the pilot ends.
  • The work funded must largely by conducted in the UK.

Funding

  • Phase 1 will see a number of awards of up to £0.5 million.
  • Incubation support will be available to successful SME’s who are the lead partner in receipt of funding.
  • Projects are to start in January 2019.

Please note there is a deadline to register your interest for applying into this competition which is 21st November 2018.