EDF UK R&D, the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the University of Bristol and Urenco have formed a consortium. This consortium has been awarded nine million three hundred thousand dollars from the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to develop a hydrogen storage solution. The funding comes from the BEIS GBP 1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The intent of this Portfolio is to accelerate the commercialization of low-carbon technologies and systems.
      The Hydrogen in Depleted Uranium Storage (HyDUS) project will demonstrate the chemical storage of hydrogen at ambient temperatures by chemically bonding the hydrogen to depleted uranium to form heavy-metal hydride compounds. Depleted uranium is mostly U-238.
     The consortium will develop a hydrogen storage demonstrator. Hydrogen will be absorbed on a depleted uranium ‘bed’. It will then release the hydrogen when it is needed. The consortium will develop this pilot-scale HyDUS demonstrator as part of the Longer Duration Energy Storage demonstrator program at the UKAEA’s Cluham Campus.
      Professor Tom Scott is one of the architects of the HyDUS technology. He said, “This will be a world first technology demonstrator which is a beautiful and exciting translation of a well proven fusion-fuel hydrogen isotope storage technology that the UK Atomic Energy Authority has used for several decades at a small scale. The hydride compounds that we’re using can chemically store hydrogen at ambient pressure and temperature but remarkably they do this at twice the density of liquid hydrogen. The material can also quickly give-up the stored hydrogen simply by heating it, which makes it a wonderfully reversible hydrogen storage technology.”
     Dr. Antonios Banos is the technical lead on the project from the University of Bristol. He said, “This energy storage technology could provide high-purity hydrogen which is essential for key applications such as transportation while also storing hydrogen for long periods with no energy losses.”
     Patrick Dupeyrat is the EDF R&D Director. He said that the funding from BEIS “is a clear endorsement of the credibility of the consortium and of the quality of the feasibility study phase. The novel form of long duration energy storage technology that will be demonstrated in HyDUS has excellent synergies with the nuclear supply chain and EDF’s power stations, especially within a future low-carbon electricity system, where flexibility using hydrogen will play a significant role.”
     Monica Jong is with the UKAEA. She said, “We see HyDUS as an exciting energy storage technology that will help to drive decarbonization of the national grid. What’s even more exciting is that this is a UK technology and a highly exportable showcase example of how to efficiently cross-bridge technology from the nuclear and fusion sectors into the hydrogen economy proving the UK is still a global leader in energy innovation.”
     Urenco will supply the depleted uranium, which is a by-product of the uranium enrichment process, to the project. When the miniscule amount of U-235 present in uranium ore deposits, is removed from the ore, depleted uranium is left.
     David Fletched is the Head of Business Development  at Urenco. He said, “We see HyDUS as an exciting energy storage technology that will help to drive decarbonization of the national grid. What’s even more exciting is that this is a UK technology and a highly exportable showcase example of how to efficiently cross-bridge technology from the nuclear and fusion sectors into the hydrogen economy proving the UK is still a global leader in energy innovation.”
     According the Urenco, the HyDUS project will deliver a modular demonstrator system within the next twenty-four months. Beyond that, the consortium intends to initially install the technology on nuclear sites. This will increase the profitability of the nuclear power plants. However, it is hoped that eventually the technology could be more widespread. It could be used to support transport and heavy industries such as aluminum and steel smelting.