The global energy sector is facing considerable pressure arising from climate change, depletion of fossil fuels and geopolitical issues around the location of remaining fossil fuel reserves. Energy networks are vitally important enablers for the UK energy sector and therefore UK industry and society. Energy networks exist primarily to exploit and facilitate temporal and spatial diversity in energy production and use and to exploit economies of scale where they exist. The pursuit of Net Zero presents many complex interconnected challenges which reach beyond the UK and have huge relevance internationally. These challenges vary considerably from region to region due to historical, geographic, political, economic and cultural reasons. As technology and society changes so do these challenges, and therefore the planning, design and operation of energy networks needs to be revisited and optimised. Electricity systems are facing technical issues of bi-directional power flows, increasing long-distance power flows and a growing contribution from fluctuating and low inertia generation sources. Gas systems require significant innovation to remain relevant in a low carbon future. Heat networks have little energy demand market share, although they have been successfully installed in other northern European countries. Other energy vectors such as Hydrogen or bio-methane show great promise but as yet have no significant share of the market. Faced with these pressures, the modernisation of energy networks technology, processes and governance is a necessity if they are to be fit for the future. Good progress has been made in de-carbonisation in some areas but this has not been fast enough, widespread enough across vectors or sectors and not enough of the innovation is being deployed at scale. Effort is required to accelerate the development, scale up the deployment and increase the impact delivered.

Hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels (HALF) have an essential role in the net-zero transition by providing connectivity and flexibility across the energy system. Despite advancements in the field of hydrogen research both in the physical sciences and engineering, significant barriers remain to the scalable adoption of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuel technologies, and energy services, into the UK's local and national whole system infrastructure. These are technical barriers, organisational barriers, regulatory and societal barriers, and financial barriers. There are, therefore, significant gaps between current levels of hydrogen production, transportation, storage, conversion, and usage, and the estimated requirement for achieving net-zero by 2050. To address this, our proposed research programme has four interlinked work packages. WP1 will develop forward-thinking HALF technology roadmaps. We will assess supply chain availability and security. Selected representative HALF use cases will be used to identify and quantify any opportunities, risks and dependencies within a whole systems analysis. We will also develop an overarching roadmap for HALF system integration in order to inform technology advancement, industry and business development, as well as policy making and social interventions. WP2 will improve HALF characterisation and explore urgent new perspectives on the energy transition, including those related to ensuring resilience and security while also achieving net-zero. We will contrast the energy transition delivered by real incentives/behaviour versus those projected by widely-used optimisation models. The WP provides the whole systems modelling engine of the HI-ACT Hub, with a diverse array of state-of-the-art tools to explore HALF integration. WP 3 will explore the vital coupling of data and information relating to whole system planning and operational decision support, through the creation of a cyber physical architecture (CPA). This will generate new learning on current and future opportunities and risks, from a data and information perspective, which will lead to a whole system ontology for accelerated integration of hydrogen technologies. WP 4 considers options for a future energy system with HALF from a number of perspectives. The first is to consider expert views on HALF energy futures, and the public perceptions of those views. The second perspective considers place-based options for social benefit in HALF energy futures. The third perspective is to consider regulatory and policy options which would better enable HALF futures. Embedded across the research programme is the intent to create robust tools which are investment-oriented in their analysis. A Whole Systems and Energy Systems Integration approach is needed here, in order to better understand the interconnected and interdependent nature of complex energy systems from a technical, social, environmental and economic perspective. The Hub is led by Prof Sara Walker, Director of the EPSRC National Centre for Energy Systems Integration, supported by a team of 16 academics at a range of career stages. The team have extensive experience of large energy research projects and strong networks of stakeholders across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They bring to the Hub major hydrogen demonstrators through support from partners involved in InTEGReL in Gateshead, ReFLEX in Orkney, and FLEXIS Demonstration in South Wales for example. We shall engage to create a vibrant, diverse, and open community that has a deeper understanding of whole systems approaches and the role of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels within that. We shall do so in a way which embeds Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the approach. We shall do so in a way which is a hybrid of virtual and in-person field work consultation and develop appropriate digital tools for engagement.

The global energy sector is facing considerable pressure arising from climate change, depletion of fossil fuels and geopolitical issues around the location of remaining fossil fuel reserves. Energy networks are vitally important enablers for the UK energy sector and therefore UK industry and society. Energy networks exist primarily to exploit and facilitate temporal and spatial diversity in energy production and use and to exploit economies of scale where they exist. The pursuit of Net Zero presents many complex interconnected challenges which reach beyond the UK and have huge relevance internationally. These challenges vary considerably from region to region due to historical, geographic, political, economic and cultural reasons. As technology and society changes so do these challenges, and therefore the planning, design and operation of energy networks needs to be revisited and optimised. Electricity systems are facing technical issues of bi-directional power flows, increasing long-distance power flows and a growing contribution from fluctuating and low inertia generation sources. Gas systems require significant innovation to remain relevant in a low carbon future. Heat networks have little energy demand market share, although they have been successfully installed in other northern European countries. Other energy vectors such as Hydrogen or bio-methane show great promise but as yet have no significant share of the market. Faced with these pressures, the modernisation of energy networks technology, processes and governance is a necessity if they are to be fit for the future. Good progress has been made in de-carbonisation in some areas but this has not been fast enough, widespread enough across vectors or sectors and not enough of the innovation is being deployed at scale. Effort is required to accelerate the development, scale up the deployment and increase the impact delivered.

Hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels (HALF) have an essential role in the net-zero transition by providing connectivity and flexibility across the energy system. Despite advancements in the field of hydrogen research both in the physical sciences and engineering, significant barriers remain to the scalable adoption of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuel technologies, and energy services, into the UK's local and national whole system infrastructure. These are technical barriers, organisational barriers, regulatory and societal barriers, and financial barriers. There are, therefore, significant gaps between current levels of hydrogen production, transportation, storage, conversion, and usage, and the estimated requirement for achieving net-zero by 2050. To address this, our proposed research programme has four interlinked work packages. WP1 will develop forward-thinking HALF technology roadmaps. We will assess supply chain availability and security. Selected representative HALF use cases will be used to identify and quantify any opportunities, risks and dependencies within a whole systems analysis. We will also develop an overarching roadmap for HALF system integration in order to inform technology advancement, industry and business development, as well as policy making and social interventions. WP2 will improve HALF characterisation and explore urgent new perspectives on the energy transition, including those related to ensuring resilience and security while also achieving net-zero. We will contrast the energy transition delivered by real incentives/behaviour versus those projected by widely-used optimisation models. The WP provides the whole systems modelling engine of the HI-ACT Hub, with a diverse array of state-of-the-art tools to explore HALF integration. WP 3 will explore the vital coupling of data and information relating to whole system planning and operational decision support, through the creation of a cyber physical architecture (CPA). This will generate new learning on current and future opportunities and risks, from a data and information perspective, which will lead to a whole system ontology for accelerated integration of hydrogen technologies. WP 4 considers options for a future energy system with HALF from a number of perspectives. The first is to consider expert views on HALF energy futures, and the public perceptions of those views. The second perspective considers place-based options for social benefit in HALF energy futures. The third perspective is to consider regulatory and policy options which would better enable HALF futures. Embedded across the research programme is the intent to create robust tools which are investment-oriented in their analysis. A Whole Systems and Energy Systems Integration approach is needed here, in order to better understand the interconnected and interdependent nature of complex energy systems from a technical, social, environmental and economic perspective. The Hub is led by Prof Sara Walker, Director of the EPSRC National Centre for Energy Systems Integration, supported by a team of 16 academics at a range of career stages. The team have extensive experience of large energy research projects and strong networks of stakeholders across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They bring to the Hub major hydrogen demonstrators through support from partners involved in InTEGReL in Gateshead, ReFLEX in Orkney, and FLEXIS Demonstration in South Wales for example. We shall engage to create a vibrant, diverse, and open community that has a deeper understanding of whole systems approaches and the role of hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels within that. We shall do so in a way which embeds Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the approach. We shall do so in a way which is a hybrid of virtual and in-person field work consultation and develop appropriate digital tools for engagement.

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero will develop the necessary networking, training and skills in future doctoral level leaders to enable rapid growth in hydrogen-related technology to meet the UK government's 2050 net zero targets. This CDT is a partnership of three world class Universities and around 40 Industrial and Civic organisations. The CDT aims to address the challenging aspects of rapid growth in hydrogen production and usage such as cost, supply and waste chain development, scalability, different system configurations, new technology, and social requirements through a blended cohort co-creation approach. The CDT will provide mandatory and optional training in Fundamental Knowledge, Thinking Innovatively, Business Acumen and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Community (EDIC). A cohort based CDT is most appropriate for embedding skills in Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero due to the breadth of the training needs and the need for co-support and co-learning. In addition to a tailored co-created skills training program, the CDT will engage with partners to address key research priority areas. The CDT research plans are aligned with the EPSRC's "Engineering Net Zero" research priority, aiming to engineer low-cost hydrogen for net zero. Decarbonisation is not just implementation of a single solution fits all but a complex process of design that is dependent on what is being decarbonised e.g. different types of chemical industry to whether or not there is future access to a hydrogen hub. This results in the requirement for many new solutions to ensure affordability, scalability and sustainability. This includes undertaking research on hydrogen into topics such as, design for scalability, hydrogen on demand, new low cost materials, new interfaces, new processes, new storage means, new energy interactions, new waste management, existing infrastructure adaption and lifespan monitoring and management and social acceptance. The CDT will work with industry and civic partners to generate impact through innovation through research. This will include direct financial benefits, improved policy outcomes through engagement with local authorities, government organizations, and standards bodies, enhanced public engagement and acceptance of hydrogen, and create employment opportunities for students with industry-ready skills. The CDT represents an excellent opportunity for students to work together, with industry and with world leading international experts on impactful projects for a common decarbonisation goal with multifunctional stakeholders. This CDT will build upon the experience of the University partners and the lessons learnt from participation in 7 previous CDT's to bring forward best practice (e.g. buddy scheme and childcare funding) and remove roadblocks to opportunities (e.g. timetable clashes). We will co-create a CDT with international reach and access to over £55m worth of hydrogen and wind turbine demonstrator and research facilities. The team has excellent links with Universities and Industry internationally including partners in Europe, Canada, Malawi, China, USA, Brazil and Australia. CDT students will have opportunities to learn from International experts at a summer design and build, link with world leading experts to build international networks of contacts, undertake CPD activities (such as partner site visits), attend national and international conferences & partners secondments, research sandpits and webinars. All activities will be undertaken with due care, diligence & best practice in EDIC. The academic, industrial and civic team has the expertise to deliver the vision of the co-created CDT through the development of a unique research and training program.