Hydrogen Future as a Climate Change Solution (H2FUTURE)
The H2FUTURE programme aims to find new and creative solutions for clean hydrogen production using direct sunlight-driven photocatalytic water splitting and the scale-up of catalytic methane pyrolysis technology with tailored nanocarbon side stream production. Moreover, H2FUTURE will work to develop methods for the fossil-free hydrogen reduction of iron ores, with a focus on novel hydrogen embrittlement resistant tough steels with increased durability for lightweight applications. Altogether, H2FUTURE will establish a transdisciplinary research ecosystem focusing on high-level fundamental research and, together with its collaborators, cover the path from hydrogen production to transport, storage, and end-use in steel applications.
The research is anchored in strategic collaboration with leading research organizations, large-scale research infrastructures, and leading industries. H2FUTURE capitalizes on Oulu's location beside the Bothnian Bay, offering a unique geographical environment due to the proximity of the globally sustainable steel manufacturing forerunners Outokumpu and SSAB. Further points include Nordic collaboration on steelmaking and the hydrogen economy, including Hybrit, a joint venture company aiming to have a completely fossil-free process for steelmaking by 2030, and BotH2nia, an international initiative for building a large-scale hydrogen economy around the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea.
H2FUTURE is one of the three new profiling areas being developed as part of the PROFI7 initiative at the University of Oulu, funded by Research Council of Finland. It is closely related to and integrated with existing profiling areas and leverages the expertise in physics and engineering that was gained through PROFI3 (Genome of Steel) and PROFI5 (Inorganic Side Streams).
In the context of a green and sustainable future, hydrogen is viewed as a critical component in the energy transition. It is a clean and renewable energy source that can help reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a cleaner environment. By leveraging existing expertise and focusing on the development of hydrogen technology, H2FUTURE has a vital role to play in the transition toward sustainability.
The H2FUTURE programme is unique in that it brings together a transdisciplinary research ecosystem, encompassing high-level fundamental research and collaboration with various partners, to cover the entire hydrogen production process, from production to transport, storage, and end-use in steel applications. H2FUTURE represents a forward-thinking approach to clean hydrogen production and has the potential to make a significant impact on the transition toward a more carbon-neutral and sustainable future.
The H2FUTURE programme is led by professor Marko Huttula. The primary contacts for research themes are tenure professors and senior scientists. Research Coordinator Filipp Temerov takes care of the operative coordination.
