IMI Critical Engineering has been awarded its first order for its innovative IMI VIVO Green Hydrogen Electrolyser, which allows users to generate green hydrogen from renewable energy sources.

The order came from the research laboratory of a Russell Group university in England. The laboratory will use renewable energy to generate green hydrogen using the IMI VIVO Electrolyser. The university will then produce aviation fuels for testing in their advanced research facilities.

‘Green’ hydrogen is hydrogen generated from renewable or low-carbon energy sources, such as wind, solar, or geothermal. It is one of the most important energy vectors that will drive and speed up the transition to sustainable energy: some forecasts suggest green hydrogen will make up almost a quarter of our energy supply by 2050 and help to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

The IMI VIVO Electrolyser uses proton exchange membrane technology to transform water into hydrogen, using renewable electricity as an energy source. It is a ‘turnkey’ solution for customers – providing a complete, packaged solution for producing green hydrogen that includes the electrolyser complete with a water treatment unit, DC rectifier, hydrogen filtering, and a storage system. In this case, the client specified their hydrogen requirements, but IMI Critical Engineering can also support customers with choosing the optimal sizing for their complete hydrogen value chain.

The IMI VIVO Electrolyser was developed by a Hydrogen team created by IMI Critical Engineering in 2020, as part of the company’s accelerator programme to develop solutions for the energy transition. “Green Hydrogen is a great fit with our purpose of breakthrough engineering for a better world,” says IMI Critical Engineering’s Divisional Managing Director, Jackie Hu. “In a very short time, applying a growth mindset and leveraging our engineering talent has enabled us to deliver an innovative solution for an important market.”

“In addition to supplying their new electrolyser,” says Business & Technology Development Director Andrea Pusceddu, “We have built a symbiotic relationship with the university that will support our ongoing research for eco fuels and green technologies. We’re excited about what the future will bring for green hydrogen at IMI Critical Engineering.”