Composites and the Hydrogen Economy

We are advancing the knowledge required to establish a dynamic UK supply chain, investing in hydrogen pressure vessel research and development to seed manufacture in the UK and progressing the technology to help it remain competitive in the future.

The NCC is developing technical knowledge on the design and manufacture of pressure vessels that will enable industry to reduce development cost and time. We are identifying the incremental technical improvements needed to support long-term competitiveness. We are investigating and trialling recycling methods for current tanks and exploring future tank technologies that will maximise recyclability.

Composite smart pipes offer the potential to pipe hydrogen generated offshore to land, maximising the cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production. At the NCC, the cross-sector hydrogen team is working to minimise the barriers to deploying composite pipe solutions - a programme of work that will help establish a robust supply chain in the UK. As part of this programme, we are creating a clear path to achieve digital certification of hydrogen ready pipes and materials.

Working with industry, our goal is to develop the critical composites technology to enable high-cycle, flight worthy cryogenic tanks. Our cross-sector hydrogen team is collaborating with partners to advance engineering expertise in composite cryogenic storage systems that will support UK companies to enter into the market. We are also identifying the critical technologies we need to drive to maturity now that will enable growth in the UK hydrogen supply chain and identifying the next generation of technologies that will secure future commercial competitiveness.