Making green hydrogen affordable at scale

University of Exeter

Academics: Prof. Xiaohong Li, Dr Zhenyu Zhang,

External Partners: Oxford Nano Systems Ltd (ONS, Cornwall), Oort Energy (Bristol), Four Zeros Energy Ltd (St Austell) & Henry Royce Institute

SHIELD addresses a key barrier to green hydrogen: the high cost and limited supply of critical materials used in production.

Current electrolysis technologies rely on rare metals such as iridium, making large-scale deployment expensive. This project develops lower-cost catalyst materials that maintain performance while reducing reliance on scarce resources.

Working with partners, the project will test these materials under real-world conditions to support commercial adoption.

The project also strengthens the South West hydrogen ecosystem by connecting research, manufacturing and deployment, supporting regional supply chains and enabling future growth in low-cost hydrogen technologies.