Keele University is leading the HyDEX programme, which is designed to support and foster the creation of a hydrogen economy in the Midlands.
On 17 January, it outlined how the purpose of HyDEX is to address the challenge of building a thriving new business, industrial and manufacturing sector in hydrogen. It will enable businesses to accelerate the development and viability of new hydrogen products and associated intellectual property. It will also support the transition from declining industrial sectors and enable the training and re-skilling that is required.
The £4.99mn programme, set to run for three years, has brought together university partners in the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) with multinational businesses, SMEs and other partners. The ERA university partners are to make their £111mn worth of hydrogen facilities, large-scale demonstration programmes, and research capabilities available to regional businesses. This will be supported by expertise of leading industrial partners in transport, heating and manufacturing technologies, also involved in HyDEX.
HyDEX will also facilitate links with growing international markets in countries including China, Australia and South Korea. This will be with the aim of building commercial opportunities that reach beyond the Midlands and the UK.
