ERA Energy Research Accelerator

Decarbonising UK domestic heating: Disruptive approaches (Webinar)
2025-11-21 | Virtual event
View the full details here

Decarbonising UK domestic heating: Disruptive approaches (in person)
2025-11-21 | Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), One Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H 9JJ, United Kingdom

The East Midlands Hydrogen Pipeline- Supplying green hydrogen to industries in the East and West Midlands (Webinar)
2025-11-13 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Virtual event
Join us to explore the East Midlands Hydrogen Pipeline (EMP) — a landmark project set to accelerate the UK’s hydrogen economy by up to 15 years.
The EMP will repurpose a 63 km pipeline to transport green hydrogen. This network will link producers and users across the East and West Midlands, creating the foundation of a regional hydrogen infrastructure.
Beyond this first phase, EMP aims to connect additional sites across the Midlands, building a resilient, integrated system that supports the UK’s journey to net zero.
EMP is actively seeking partners — from producers and suppliers to investors and technology providers — to help make this vision a reality.
Learn more: empipeline.co.uk
Who should attend?

Hydrogen users or those planning to adopt hydrogen
Suppliers, service providers, and investors
Researchers, policy makers, and clean-energy professionals
Anyone interested in the UK’s hydrogen transition

HORN Hydrogen Marketplace
This is also an opportunity to hear from two HORN partner businesses showcasing innovation in the hydrogen sector:
Sauer Compressors UK
A global leader in compressor technology since 1884, Sauer provides hydrogen-ready compressors for production, storage, and refuelling at pressures up to 450 bar. More: sauercompressors.com
Hycomplate Ltd
A UK clean-tech company developing advanced composite bipolar plates for fuel cells, electrolysers, and energy storage systems — enhancing durability, reducing costs, and improving efficiency. More: hycomplate.com
Register today to secure your place!
Gain insight into one of the UK’s most ambitious hydrogen projects, connect with key industry players, and explore opportunities to help shape the Midlands’ clean-energy future.

Decarbonising UK domestic heating: Disruptive approaches
2024-11-06 | Vaillant Live, Derby, DE1 1LA, United Kingdom

ERA Conference: A Race Against Time - Energy Innovation for Net-Zero
2024-01-25 09:30 - 16:30 | Cranfield University- AIRC, AIRC Ideas Space, First floor, Wharley End, Bedford, MK43 0JR, United Kingdom
Conference details and downloadsAim of conference
This was an in person conference with the aim to discuss the role that energy innovation is playing in achieving Net-Zero and to discuss the Energy Research Accelerator’s plans for the future. Throughout the day we will be focusing on our key themes including:
• Energy Generation and Systems
• Transport and Mobility
• Sustainability and People
• Decarbonising Industry
• Data and AI
• Skills for the Net-Zero transition
09.00: Arrival and refreshments
09.30: Welcome and Introduction: Prof Chris Fogwill, Cranfield University
09.50: A race against time, the role and challenges of energy research and innovation in achieving Net-Zero: Keynote speaker: Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation, Octopus Energy
10.20: ERA’s national activities: Prof Martin Freer, Director of the Energy Research Accelerator
10.40: Panel discussion on National Energy Innovation Challenges with senior representatives from industry and academia, including:

Michelle Bentham Chief Scientist for Decarbonisation and Resource Management, British Geological Survey (BGS)
David Wright, Director of Electricity Transmission, National Grid
Tom Greatrex, CEO, Nuclear Industries Association
Dennis Hayter, MD, Intelligent Energy

11.30: Refreshments and Networking
11.50: Regional Energy Developments and Opportunities:
Faye McAnulla, Programme Director ERA
12.05: Panel discussion on Midlands energy opportunities with senior leaders from the public and private sector:

Ian Cuddington, Director of Economic Development, Rolls-Royce
Kelly Manders, Regional Development Manager, Cadent
David Horsfall, Director, Tyseley Energy Park
Katie Greenhalgh, Green Growth Lead, East Midlands Freeport

13.00: Lunch and Networking
Lunch break to include Early Career Researcher Posters and presentations in Foyer
Optional tours of Cranfield energy facilities:
The HyPER demonstrator – HyPER can produce hundreds of kg of hydrogen each day. It is a megawatt scale pilot facility that utilises sorbent enhanced reforming to generate clean hydrogen. The pilot sized demonstrator can be of use to any business developing anything from hydrogen/Co2 leak detection, gas analysis, pipe fittings/gaskets non-destructive testing and evaluation of metals and pipes, gas compressors and purification systems etc.
The Turquoise Hydrogen demonstrator – The Turquoise Hydrogen demonstrator consists of a central upright fixed fluidised bed reactor which generates hydrogen from methane, with built in mechanisms for heating and heat recovery. In the reactor, methane molecules are split into their constituents, H2 and carbon. This pilot reactor has an in-built system to separate gaseous H2 and remove the solid carbon
Optional – Test drive Tesla car
14.10: Breakout groups, exploring collaborative ideas in several ERA research themes:

Energy and the Built Environment – Dominika Walker, (Tomato Energy)
Transport and Mobility – Faye McAnulla and Martin Freer (ERA/University of Birmingham)
Decarbonising Industry – Vasilije Manovic and Phil Longhurst (Cranfield University)
Data and AI – Rob Shipman (University of Nottingham)
Skills – Lennie Foster (ERA), Keith Wishart (IBM), Swathi (C-DICE post doc), Nazmiye Ozkan (Cranfield)
Hydrogen Storage – Kat Mycock (HyDEX) and Gordon Arnott (University of Nottingham)

Each group to focus on one of ERA’s themes and developing one or two ‘Big Ideas’ for industry and universities to work together on.
15.10: Groups to feedback to the conference on their ideas
15.30: Summary of day and next steps:
Prof Martin Freer
15.50: Close

MDES 2024 – Medium Duration Energy Storage 2024
2024-01-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Vaillant Live, Derby, DE1 1LA, United Kingdom
About this event

MDES 2024 was held from 09:00 – 17:00 UTC on January 12, 2024 and addressed recent advances in thinking around the technologies, the policies and the commercial realities of Medium Duration Energy Storage (MDES). It covered the following issues:
– Specific technology and project updates within compressed air energy storage
– Specific technology and project updates within pumped hydro energy storage
– Short updates from MDES developments in early commercialisation stages
– Modelling that elucidates the added value of different storage technologies
– A panel discussion on latest thinking about what policy and market mechanisms are needed to elicit investment in MDES
The event was free to attend – either physically (at IMechE in London) or virtually.
This event was brought-about through funding from Research England under its “Policy Support Fund” scheme. It drew upon support from Energy Research Accelerator (where presentations and recordings will be archived), Supergen Energy Storage Network Plus, the IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Storage and EERA (European Energy Research Alliance) SP4.

View all event presentationsProgramme

09:15 – 10:45: ADVANCES IN COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE

Isothermal Compressed Air Energy Storage for Decentralised Energy Grid: Dr. Yasser Mahmoudi (Manchester Univ)Download PresentationView Video

Sustainable & Affordable CAES, Dr. Edward Barbour (Loughborough Univ)Download PresentationView Video

High Performance CAES through elevated temperature thermal storage, Dr. Wei HeDownload PresentationView Video

Offshore CAES – FLASC, Dr. Daniel BuhagiarDownload PresentationView Video

CAES with Heat: Cheesecake Energy Ltd, Dr. Mike SimpsonDownload PresentationView Video
Video of question session for Compressed Air Energy Storage

10:45 – 11:15: REFRESHMENTS

11:15 – 12:30: ADVANCES IN MEDIUM DURATION ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Iron Air: Enabling Ultra-Low Cost Multi-Day Storage, Cillian Totterdell (FORM Energy)Download PresentationView Video

RheEnergise, Lizzi GoldDownload PresentationView Video

Small-scale Pumped Hydro projects. Mr. Jonathan Cox (AECOM)Download PresentationView Video
Video of question session for Medium Duration Energy Storage

12:30 – 13:30: LUNCH

13:30 – 14:30: THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE

Topologically Engineered Thermal Energy Storage for Carnot Batteries – Dr Adriano Sciacovelli (Birmingham)Download PresentationView Video
PRISMA: Compressor Integrated Energy Storage, Dr. Adrian Alford (Innovatium)Download PresentationView Video

SynchroStor – a Pumped Thermal E.S. system, Prof. Win Rampen (Edinburgh)View Video

14:40 – 14:50: REFRESHMENTS

14:50 – 15:35: MODELLING AND MEDIUM DURATION ENERGY STORAGE

The benefits of blending storage types, Dr. Tony Roulstone (Cambridge)Download PresentationView Video

Whole-system value of MDES&LDES solutions in Net Zero Futures, Prof. Goran Strbac (Imperial College)Download PresentationView Video

Monetising Medium Duration Storage, Dr. Iain Staffell (Imperial College)Download PresentationView Video
Modelleing Energy Systems Including Multiple Stores, Professor Seamus Garvey, (University of Nottingham)Download PresentationView Video

15:40 – 16:40: PANEL SESSION: POLICY AND MARKET ISSUES AFFECTING MDES
Panel Session chaired by Tom Bent.
– Nina Skorupska, CEO of the REA (Association of Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies)– Prof. Ian Arbon (Independent Consultant, EngineeredSolutions)– Sarah Keay-Bright from National Grid ESO (TBC)– Dr. Iain Staffell (Imperial College)
Video of Q&As for the panel session

Any questions about this event?
Please email Professor Seamus Garvey at the University of Nottingham.
