AMRC testbed to let manufacturers try hydrogen without the risk

Manufacturers will get the chance to test hydrogen for hard-to-decarbonise tasks thanks to a new project, which aims to remove the risk from the important transition.

Designed to provide a “real-world, industrial-scale testbed for manufacturers to trial hydrogen fuel-switching in a controlled environment”, the HyDecarb project will be established by the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), it announced this week (9 June).

Backed by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and £1m funding, the project is described as a “first-of-its-kind, open-access research capability” dedicated to the decarbonisation of industrial natural gas.

“Industrial heat is one of the most significant challenges in the race to net zero, accounting for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions,” a Catapult announcement said.

“In the UK, industrial processes contribute approximately 12% of total emissions, the majority of which is heat-related. While many sectors can turn to electrification, energy-intensive industries such as foundries, glassmaking and steel face massive technical barriers where electricity is not yet a viable option.”

AMRC aims to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale industrial adoption by removing the technical and financial barriers that have made the transition too risky for individual manufacturers to attempt alone.

The project will “mimic the exact conditions found in ageing UK factories”, with a 20-year-old industrial furnace converted by Therser UK to operate on a blend of natural gas and hydrogen.

A gas decarbonisation unit from Sheffield firm Suiso will feed the furnace by generating the hydrogen-natural gas blend. The company’s proprietary microwave pyrolysis technology decarbonises natural gas at the point of use by separating methane into hydrogen and solid carbon.

“By removing the carbon before combustion, the system enables industrial users to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions while continuing to utilise existing gas infrastructure. The carbon is captured in a solid form rather than being released as atmospheric CO₂,” the announcement said.

That solid carbon is then upgraded by Suiso into high-value activated carbon, used globally for water purification and air filtration. “This circular approach turns a carbon liability into a commercial asset, a key factor in the AMRC’s selection of the technology,” the announcement said.

Matthew Cawood, head of castings at the AMRC, said: “High-temperature industries have traditionally been the hardest to decarbonise, but finding a solution is now a necessity. By developing this capability at the AMRC, we are proving to our partners that they can slash emissions immediately without needing to reinvent their entire operation.

“We are providing the environment where businesses can meet environmental goals while keeping their production lines running and staying competitive. As a leading manufacturing R&D centre, our role is to de-risk this technology and drive its adoption across the UK manufacturing sector to meet the country’s net zero ambitions.”

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