Key Moments:
- The University of Sheffield AMRC secured £1m in funding to create HyDecarb, an open-access platform focused on decarbonizing industrial natural gas use.
- The project will convert a 20-year-old industrial furnace to run on variable blends of natural gas and hydrogen, supported by a gas decarbonization unit.
- Suiso’s microwave pyrolysis technology will generate a hydrogen/natural gas blend and capture carbon in solid form for conversion into high-value activated carbon.
Industrial Heat in the Net Zero Challenge
The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has obtained £1m in funding to establish “HyDecarb,” an open-access research capability dedicated to cutting emissions from industrial natural gas consumption.
Industrial heat is identified in the article as one of the largest obstacles in achieving net zero, responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK, industrial operations contribute around 12 per cent of overall emissions, with most of that tied to heat generation.
While some industries can switch to electrification, energy-intensive sectors such as foundries, glassmaking, and steel production face substantial technical challenges where electricity is not yet a practical substitute.
HyDecarb: Open-Access Testbed for Hydrogen Fuel-Switching
The HyDecarb project, supported by the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, will serve as an industrial-scale testbed where manufacturers can trial switching from natural gas to hydrogen, or blends of both, in a controlled environment.
The AMRC has designed this open-access infrastructure to act as an intermediate step between laboratory-scale experiments and full commercial deployment. By doing so, it aims to remove technical and financial obstacles that have historically made low-carbon energy transitions too risky for individual companies to undertake on their own.
Strategic Importance for High-Temperature Industries
Matthew Cawood, head of castings at the AMRC, emphasized that this capability is crucial for the long-term viability of high-temperature sectors.
He said: “High-temperature industries have traditionally been the hardest to decarbonise, but finding a solution is now a necessity.
“By developing this capability at the AMRC, we are proving to our partners that they can slash emissions immediately without needing to reinvent their entire operation.
“We are providing the environment where businesses can meet environmental goals while keeping their production lines running and staying competitive.
“As a leading manufacturing R&D centre, our role is to de-risk this technology and drive its adoption across the UK manufacturing sector to meet the country’s net zero ambitions.”
Dual-Innovation Setup: Furnace Retrofit and Gas Decarbonization
The core of the HyDecarb initiative is a dual-innovation configuration designed to replicate real conditions in older UK manufacturing facilities, enabling realistic industrial-scale trials.
| Component | Description | Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace | Refurbishment of a 20-year-old industrial furnace so it can operate on any combination of natural gas and hydrogen. | Therser UK |
| Hydrogen Source | Integration of a gas decarbonisation unit that produces a hydrogen/natural gas blend to fuel the furnace. | Suiso |
Therser UK will overhaul the 20-year-old furnace, enabling it to run on flexible blends of natural gas and hydrogen. To supply this fuel mix, the AMRC will deploy a gas decarbonisation system from Sheffield-based cleantech firm Suiso, which produces a hydrogen/natural gas blend for the furnace.
Microwave Pyrolysis and Carbon Valorization
Suiso’s proprietary microwave pyrolysis process decarbonizes natural gas at the point of use by splitting methane into hydrogen and solid carbon. By extracting carbon before combustion, the system allows industrial users to cut CO2 emissions significantly while continuing to use their existing gas networks and equipment.
Instead of being emitted as CO2, the carbon is captured in solid form. Suiso then upgrades this solid carbon into high-value activated carbon, which is used worldwide for applications such as water purification and air filtration.
This circular model converts carbon from an environmental liability into a commercial product, which was a key consideration in the AMRC’s decision to select this technology.
Partner Perspectives on Deployment and Scale-Up
Stuart McKnight, CEO of Suiso, commented on the collaboration and the broader implications for industrial decarbonization.
He said: “We are grateful to the AMRC for their confidence in our technology and for deploying it in their operations today and helping drive its adoption across the industries they support over time.
“This project marks a significant milestone in the transition to cost-effective, low-carbon industrial processes. Converting emissions into value is what we do at Suiso.”
From the furnace retrofit perspective, Matthew Pound, sales director of Therser UK, underlined how existing industrial assets can be adapted rather than replaced.
He added: “Working alongside the AMRC and Suiso, we are helping to create a practical, scalable route for energy-intensive industries to reduce emissions, de-risk investment decisions and accelerate progress towards net-zero manufacturing.
“By converting an existing industrial furnace to operate on hydrogen and natural gas blends, we are demonstrating how proven manufacturing assets can be adapted rather than replaced.”
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