The University of Nottingham

Gavin Walker, Professor in Sustainable Energy Technologies, said: “Hydrogen energy is a strategic research focus for the University and an important new technology for the decarbonisation of the transport sector.

“The new refuelling station, which also includes electric car charging points, is one of around 10 such facilities across the UK. It will be used principally for the small fleet of hydrogen-powered cars that we are planning to run in connection with research projects based at the new Energy Technologies Building.”

Novel features

The Energy Technologies Building is set to become the UK’s most advanced research facility into new energy innovations and offers an extensive range of novel features, including:

• The Wolfson Prototyping Hall will provide a 400m2 and 12m high testing facility for the University’s Department of Architecture and Built Environment. It will enable experts to create full-scale building exteriors and other building features to test their energy efficiency. It will also boast a climate chamber and an additional 200m2 of external space open to the elements where tests can be carried out in real-time weather and daylight conditions. The hall is named in honour of The Wolfson Foundation which provided generous support in the construction of the building.

• Laboratory space for low carbon research.

• A demonstration ‘green’ and ‘brown’ roof which will provide space for solar panels, as well as valuable ecological habitats.

• Seminar and exhibition rooms.

Excellence in environmental sustainability

The building itself has been designed to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating, the highest level for environmental sustainability. The sustainable design includes earth duct passive cooling, that uses the thermal mass of the surrounding earth to provide cooling and preheating of ventilation air, and efficient building design with low energy cooling and heating systems. A bio-fuel CHP generator will generate up to 150% of the total annual electricity requirement. The building will also produce more heat than it requires, with the surplus directed to its neighbour, the Institute of Mental Health.

Guests at the launch event on Wednesday will be welcomed by The University of Nottingham’s Vice-Chancellor Professor David Greenaway before hearing from a number of high profile expert speakers.

Challenges for a green future

Steve Holliday, Chief Executive of the National Grid, will offer an overview of the energy challenges facing us as the UK attempts to move towards a low-carbon society by 2050, while Dr Tony Cocker, Chief Executive Officer of E.ONwill speak about the research and development needed to deliver solutions to meet these challenges.

Professor Gavin Walker will outline the future of energy research at Nottingham, which is a key strategic research priority and includes particular strengths in efficient fossil fuel carbon capture, biomass for the production of biofuels, smart grids, zero emission vehicles, demand-side reduction and hydrogen technologies.

The afternoon will include the arrival of the hydrogen taxi-cab from sponsor Intelligent Energy and the hydrogen transit van from energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power, which has installed the hydrogen station at the Energy Technologies Building.

In addition, the landscape close to the Energy Technologies Building will be dominated by a 14m tall tetrahedral structure which will offer visitors the opportunity to see the scale of proposed future offshore wind turbine supports. It marks a lecture for the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) being delivered that evening by Nottingham’s Professor Seamus Garvey, whose work centres on the use of giant wind turbines to compress air and store it in huge Energy Bags anchored to the sea bed.