Energy Innovation Centre | University of Sheffield

Our founding members

At the forefront of global clean energy R&D

Home to two world-leading research spaces, the Energy Innovation Centre is one of the largest and best-equipped facilities of it's kind in Europe.

30+

permanent pilot-scale rigs

Unparalleled facilities to prove, test and develop low-carbon technologies
ISO-Certified

SAF laboratory

Delivering high quality work to clients, partners and fuel innovators in aviation
Sustainable aviation
TRL 3-6

Our technology focus

Working with partners to bridge the gap between ideas from the lab and full-scale deliverables
Work with us
£38.3m

initial investment

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, ERDF, University of Sheffield

Research and innovation

We are experts in zero-carbon energy sources, helping you to understand and pioneer technology and systems that decarbonise fuel and energy production.

Aviation
01

We are the UK’s first centre to develop, test and validate zero-carbon and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) in one location, making jet travel greener, more secure and scalable for industry.
Aviation fuels testing capabilities
Hydrogen
02

We offer advanced capabilities for green and blue hydrogen production and storage, including the largest capacity to produce green hydrogen of any UK university and the UK’s first molten carbonate fuel cell to capture CO2 and produce electrical energy.
Hydrogen
Clean energy systems
03

Our integrated set-up enables a range of projects on renewable energy systems, Power-to-X, emissions monitoring, fuel cell and electrolyser technology advancement.
Clean energy systems
Modelling and simulation
04

Our comprehensive modelling and simulations capabilities help mitigate risk and predict, evaluate and understand key precesses and interactions, from life-cycle assessments to computational fluid dynamics.
Facilities and equipment
Decarbonised industries
05

We are uniquely positioned to develop and deploy CCUS and bioenergy technologies at scale, with expertise across combustion, emissions, biofuels and supercritical CO2.
Decarbonising industries

State-of-the-art facilities

Find in-depth information about our world-leading range of rigs, systems and analytical equipment.

Facilities and equipment

Advanced Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC)

30kW output power Up to 90% CO2 capture Heavily instrumented with voltage measurements, thermocouples and sensors for pressure and gas analysis Integrated with natural gas desulfuriser and fuel humidifier State-of-the-art load bank where power is consumed at fixed power levels Interface that detects internal conditions with an incorporated control system to initiate shutdown actions Excess

Amine solvent-based carbon capture plant

With a CO2 capture efficiency of over 95%, and the capacity to capture up to 1 tonne of CO2 per day, it’s a pivotal tool in research methods to combat climate change. Fully instrumented, 1 tonne/day pilot-scale conventional solvent-based CO2 capture plant with two absorber columns and solvent redistribution at each of the four packed

Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

A major application for this unit is to compare characteristics for different sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with conventional fuel. Over 100 million hours of service, and used in both the Boeing B737 family and Airbus A320. Thermal power input up to ~1.5MW Any operating condition conditions could be achieved between 20-36 gm/s fuel flow Air