Project Summary
Duodrive is exploring innovative technologies with “next-to-zero” greenhouse gas emissions for a zero-carbon solution, focusing on non-highway applications from their TeesSide base with support from TeesSide University. Storage constraints currently hinder carbon-reduction strategies in the maritime, aviation, and other sectors with similar on-board green-fuel storage/use. The Department for Transport is looking to decarbonise the marine industry with ammonia as the future green fuel, and hydrogen as an immediate stepping stone. The project aims to find a more direct pathway that avoids problematic hydrogen storage. Duodrive’s Complete Integrated Combustion Drivetrain, which is suitable for new builds and retrofits, aims to be the most efficient use of green electric power in the maritime industry’s complete decarbonisation progress.
Project Achievements
Project focus was to establish a stable production of Hydrogen and Oxygen for which our approach has the more advanced idea of using natural seawater as that makes up >96% of global water supply. For that latter reason there is now considerable interest in the electrolyser research community to develop electro-catalysts, membranes and electrolysers that can work without the historic step to obtain first purified water processed by energy intensive purification / de-salination systems. De-salination systems using reverse osmosis (RO) are already commercially available, but consume significant electrical power. TeesSide University was chosen as academic sub-contractor as their Hydrogen laboratory has all the necessary facilities for testing electrochemical cells. Cardiff University was also selected to provide key Consulting inputs for the development of the core Intellectual Properties. O p b T s T N b D
Conclusions
Opportunity to Network with other innovators realised some fruitful avenues to explore post-project whilst a comprehensive literature review has been carried out to have the baseline to understand where current work by others had progressed. The step-change potential suggested by this project compares very favourably with the savings in carbon emissions & the promotion of UK technology with no worldwide equal. The Industrial Sandpit Event, Growing Teesside’s Hydrogen Economy organised by the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre has enabled Duodrive to register a direct interest to be a prime company on Seawater Hydrolysis under TeesSide as well as to work with Durham on Liquid Hydrogen.
Next Steps
Duodrive are currently running an InnovateUK funded project : “High Efficiency Hydrogen/Ammonia Engine Generator” we will look to take the next steps to raise the TRL by carrying out a “live test” of a prototype hardware derived from the T-TRIG2023 outcomes. In respect of Marine themed Funding, there is the final tranche of the CMDC or Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition – Phase 4 (closing date 27 Sep 2023) for which a submission is under preparation. TeesSide and Durham Universities have embarked on a £11 million project, funded by Research England, to support hydrogen innovation in the Tees Valley across three domains of heat, power and transport. Our T-TRIG2023 Project has enabled Duodrive to register interest in the Hydrolyser theme (2 strands with TeesSide University) and plans are underway with a major TeesSide based chemical company to seek out a funded project which could capitalise on a peripheral aspect of the “Proof of Concept”.
