Overview

Explore the Future of Clean Hydrogen: Visit the HyPER Pilot Plant at Cranfield University!

Join the HyPER Project – a pioneering collaboration between Cranfield University, GTI, and Doosan Babcock (co-funded by UK BEIS) – to discover the next generation of low‑carbon hydrogen production through sorbent‑enhanced steam methane reforming (SE‑SMR).

The HyPER Project is a novel hydrogen production technology which achieves substantial greenhouse gas reduction from a fossil fuel feedstock. An international collaboration between Cranfield University, GTI, Helical Energy and Doosan Babcock, HyPER is a state-of-the-art 1.5MWth pilot plant built at Cranfield University to test and evaluate GTI’s compact hydrogen generator technology.

GTI’s technology uses the sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming process where natural gas and steam are converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. CO2 is then captured and removed from the gas stream, leaving a stream of hydrogen that is almost pure. Meanwhile, the captured CO2 is transported to a different reactor where the sorbent is heated, leading to a near-pure stream of CO2 that can either be transported and stored or converted into a different product that is useful. "

What You'll See:

• A 1–1.5 MWth pilot-scale plant demonstrating GTI’s compact hydrogen generator technology, integrating CO₂ capture directly in the reforming process
• High‑pressure operation (~24 bara) to boost both efficiency and output – with 25 % lower hydrogen production costs, over 50 % reduced CAPEX, and ~97 % CO₂ capture .
• On-site carbon and hydrogen streams at industrial-grade purity—ideal for storage, transport, or use.
  Meet the Innovators:
• Cranfield’s energy engineering experts leading clean‑energy research.
• GTI’s technology team showcasing their SE-SMR design.
• Engineers from Doosan Babcock, who specialise in low‑carbon power plant delivery .

Why It Matters:

• Reduces CO₂ footprint by up to 40 % compared to conventional SMR + tail‑end capture .
• A scalable blueprint for the UK’s hydrogen economy: industry, power generation, grid decarbonisation, and heavy‑duty transport .
• Recognised nationally – winner of the H2 Awards 2023 Academic Excellence in Hydrogen Research & Innovation.

Ideal For: Industry leaders, policy‑makers, researchers, students, and investors keen on sustainable hydrogen tech.
Includes: Guided tour of the pilot plant, live technical briefings, and Q&A with project leads with Dr Peter Clough and Prof Phil Longhurst

Attendees must provide their own transportation to the site and back.

Time

To be confirmed.