Towards Net Zero

The University aims to use its research to drive sustainable change, contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, influence public policy and create opportunities for a rapid transition to Net Zero.

Decarbonising energy and chemicals production

Decarbonisation of the global economy will require the development of novel low-carbon technologies at an unprecedented pace and scale. With our world-leading core expertise in energy storage, electrolyser technology and the development of sustainable chemical processes, St Andrews is strongly positioned to deliver the technological advancements needed to reach Net Zero targets.

Green Hydrogen Accelerator (GHA)

Green hydrogen offers enormous potential.  It provides a scalable solution that allows renewables to address the 70% of our future energy needs that go beyond conventional electrical power. This unique facility will provide new research and development capability to deliver on the ground-breaking technological advancements we will need to establish a UK Hydrogen infrastructure. The GHA will enable pioneering research into decarbonising the production of energy, fuels and chemicals using only water, waste streams and components of air (nitrogen and carbon dioxide). 

Green hydrogen and Power to X

This innovative project has inspired the development of a new facility – Power to X – where we intend to create the affordable production and storage of green hydrogen.

We want to go beyond using hydrogen as an energy vector, exploiting the key role it can play in decarbonising the production of fuels and chemicals by alleviating the hydrogen deficiency of sustainable chemical feedstocks. Combining biogenic carbon dioxide with green hydrogen can lead to its efficient removal from the natural carbon cycle and the creation of carbon neutral or even carbon negative processes that will offset the emissions of systems that are more difficult to decarbonise.  This facility will enable emerging companies to develop home-grown capacity and skills, focus on supply chains and provide cutting-edge test facilities in green hydrogen.

How you can help

Contact us to find out how you can support these groundbreaking projects and help us – and the UK Government – to meet its Net Zero carbon targets.

Links

John Irvine Research Group: https://jtsigroup.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/john-irvine/  

Dr Paul Webb: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chemistry/people/pbw/

School of Chemistry research: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chemistry/research/

News release September 2022: Scottish hydrogen train project on track to deliver climate targets