UK ceramics industry receives funding for hydrogen research

The UK Government's Industrial Fuel Switching Competition Phase 2 has awarded ￡6mln to help decarbonise the UK ceramics sector.

The two-year ‘Hydrogen for the Ceramics Sector’ project is aiming to demonstrate the first 100% hydrogen-firing technology across more than 150 manufacturing sites of the British Ceramics Confederation's (BCC) members.

The technology will be applicable for the two main types of kilns used - batch and continuous.

Spanning all subsectors of the UK ceramics industry, a total of 15 ceramic manufacturing companies will build on the work they carried out for BCC in Phase 1, with Glass Futures adding to that list.

BCC Deputy Chief Executive Andrew McDermott FIMMM says, ‘As for achieving net-zero by 2050, the UK ceramic industry’s pathway to meet that target remains uncertain, with many of the technologies that will enable deep decarbonisation, such as hydrogen, electrification, carbon capture and bioenergy, either commercially unviable or simply unavailable.

‘Phase 1 answered a lot of questions about the feasibility of hydrogen as a fuel for the ceramics sector and the next phase will build upon these outputs. It will evaluate a far greater range of ceramic products, gaseous blends and firing atmospheres in a bespoke pilot kiln, as well as conducting demonstrations on production kilns, to build understanding in using hydrogen within an industrial environment.’

As part of the ￡1bln Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) – which supports innovation in the development of lower carbon fuels for industry - the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero awarded the funding through the Industrial Fuel Switching Phase 2 Competition.