On the 2nd and 3rd of July, the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), Innovate UK and the EPSRC Hydrogen Hubs, UK-HyRES and HI-ACT came together to host the Hydrogen Innovation Showcase. The aim of the event was to highlight the innovative projects happening across the UK hydrogen value chain. DefProc’s co-founders, Patrick and Jen, attended the event in Manchester as exhibitors and were keen to discover more about the key research developments and funding opportunities for hydrogen technology.

Rapid fire pitch

During the first day, we had the opportunity to do a rapid-fire pitch. The pitch aimed to provide visibility to your project and find connections to support your work. Patrick stepped up to tell the audience about our Smart Gas Pressure Sensor. In the space of three minutes, he covered an overview of the device, the solution it offers to Gas Distribution Networks, our future plans and the support we need to scale production. 

All the pitches were impressive, with businesses showcasing incredible new technology in development. After DefProc’s pitch session, Patrick and Jen received enormous support and advice and provided the same to others. We’re looking forward to the new relationships that will grow from the event! 

Exhibition

We were thrilled to debut Smart Gas at the Hydrogen Innovation Showcase, marking a significant milestone for DefProc. The event provided a platform to showcase our innovative technology to a diverse audience. The positive response to Smart Gas exceeded our expectations, sparking promising discussions about potential collaborations. Jen and Patrick also enjoyed seeing the products and devices from other businesses, ranging from early-stage prototypes to market-ready solutions. The exhibition offered a glimpse into the dynamic landscape of the hydrogen industry, highlighting the remarkable progress across the sector.

Keynote speakers

On Wednesday morning, there was an excellent panel sharing their expert opinions and knowledge on the importance of moving forward with the hydrogen economy. However, there was an awareness that it needs to be done with care, backed by long-term government policies and investments in the private sector are aligned at the right time. A clear, committed timeline will fully inform the public and other sectors, supporting wide-scale adoption with minimal friction or rejection.

The panel also drew attention to the gap between innovation and commercialisation. When funding innovation, you need to bring together all the research and innovation and have an appetite for risk. This will give a broader view of which innovation will be successful. However, you also need to allow for failure for the sake of learning and improving. There will still be an overall commercial gain as the knowledge secured through this process will give the UK an advantage and allow us to have the best systems and technology to export.

The USA and Europe are now looking to fund the gap between innovation and commercial scale-up. The UK government could follow to provide support, ensuring innovations are fully realised and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen. 

Overall, there was incredible insight into the practical introduction of hydrogen. From having a clear policy and regulations to requiring strong government engagement, the consensus is that the public and private sectors must work together to drive the hydrogen economy forward.

What’s next?

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