Cella Energy wins prestigious award for making hydrogen cars a real possibility

March 1st, 2011

The fibres make a lightweight tissue like material or can be made into microscopic beads that can be pumped like a fluid

Newly formed company Cella Energy Ltd which has spun out of technology from STFC's ISIS neutron source has won the prestigious national Shell Springboard Award for 2011 which is given to companies who have ideas or products that will help tackle climate change.

Cella Energy is developing a novel technology that allows hydrogen to be stored in a cheap and practical way, making it suitable for widespread use as a carbon-free alternative to petrol. Emissions from petrol are estimated to cause 25 per cent of all carbon emissions so hydrogen is seen as an ideal solution because it produces only water when burned. Until now, however, attempts to store it in a consumer friendly way have not been successful.

Working with the London Centre for Nanotechnology at University College London and University of Oxford, scientists from STFC's ISIS neutron source have developed a way of making tiny micro-fibres 30 times smaller than a human hair. These form a tissue-like material that is safe to handle in air. The new material contains as much hydrogen for a given weight as the high pressure tanks currently used to store hydrogen and can also be made in the form of micro beads that can be poured and pumped like a liquid. It could be used to fill up tanks in cars and aeroplanes in a very similar way to current fuels, but crucially without producing the carbon emissions. This is the technology underpinning Cella Energy Ltd.

Stephen Voller, the new CEO of Cella Energy Ltd said; "Being named the overall Shell Springboard winner for 2011 is a great boost for Cella Energy which will give us real credibility in the eyes of customers and potential investors alike. The £40,000 will help us to scale up our technology to an industrial scale in order to help us realise our ambition of providing a safe, zero-carbon hydrogen fuel which can be used to power the transport industry and dramatically cut carbon emissions."

Provided by Science and Technology Facilities Council