International energy experts are to share current and future hydrogen research ventures with the public in a showcase evening at the University of Birmingham on Wednesday 13 April.

An open evening featuring talks, poster presentations and a key note speech will inform members of the public of key areas of national and international research priorities on hydrogen and sustainable energy resources which offer a non-polluting fuel alternative to help minimise the causes and consequences of global climate change.

The public showcase forms part of a three-day International Hydrogen Research Showcase, which is taking place at the University of Birmingham from 13-15 April 2011. The event is being organised by the University of Bath, in conjunction with the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).

Professor Andreas Züttel, from EMPA Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland, will be presenting on ‘Hydrogen the future energy carrier’ during the evening. The talk will demonstrate hydrogen as a major component of a sustainable energy future in the UK and internationally, which will lead to a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and improve air quality.

A poster session from post-doctoral research staff and PhD students will provide opportunities for informal discussions on topics such as hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, end-use, safety and socio-economic issues during the public open evening. Professor Rex Harris, Professor of Materials Science from the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham will chair the showcase event. He commented:

“Every day we become more and more aware of the dual threats of resource depletion and run-away climate change. Both are operating on a similar time scale and both require urgent remedial actions. These will require an investment in the technologies of tomorrow and a rapid phasing-out of the fossil fuel based systems of today.

“Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the development of a hydrogen-based society where electricity can be stored as hydrogen and then converted back to electricity in fuel cells or in turbine generators.

“To achieve these longer term strategic aims it will be essential to gain the support of the general public by revealing the nature of the technical challenges that lie ahead and by persuading them of the need for long term strategic planning. This showcase event represents a small but we hope, worthwhile step towards meeting these objectives.”

Professor Harris will be delivering a plenary lecture on the final day of the Showcase, which will also feature talks from UK experts and international colleagues from the USA, Canada, Russia, Japan, Korea, Switzerland and France.
The public showcase event is taking place on Wednesday 13 April from 6pm with canapés and a drinks reception in the Business School Lecture Theatre G12.

For more information, please contact Professor Rex Harris via 0121 414 5165 or i.r.harris@bham.ac.uk or Lacey Davis via 01225 384084 or l.davis@bath.ac.uk. 

The International Hydrogen Research Showcase 2011 is being held in collaboration with a number of major publicly funded hydrogen research projects, including: UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Consortium (UK-SHEC); SUPERGEN XIV – H-Delivery; the University of Birmingham Doctoral Training Centre in Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and their Applications; and the HySAFER Centre at the University of Ulster.

The event is being backed by the Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network.

For further media information, please contact Amy Cory, University of Birmingham Press Office via 0121 414 6029 or a.cory@bham.ac.uk.