Dr Elizabeth Ashton is among just 13 researchers across the UK selected for a highly competitive five-year Research Fellowship, which supports outstanding early-career engineers with the potential to become future leaders in their field.
The Fellowships, funded by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), provide researchers with the freedom and support to pursue ambitious engineering research that addresses major societal and industrial challenges.
Dr Ashton has been awarded funding for her project, AIM-Hy: Advanced Imaging and Materials Development for Hydrogen Production from Battery-Electrolyser Systems, which seeks to combine energy storage and green hydrogen production within a single device.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are central to achieving net zero, but their intermittent nature means excess electricity is often generated when demand is low or when grid capacity is limited. This can result in renewable energy being wasted.
Dr Ashton’s research will develop innovative battery-electrolyser systems capable of both storing renewable electricity and producing green hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel that is increasingly seen as a vital component of the clean energy transition.
The technology has the potential to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production, prevent renewable energy curtailment and improve energy security. It could also help communities with limited grid infrastructure make better use of locally generated renewable energy.
"Renewable energy generation is growing rapidly, but we still face significant challenges in how we store and utilise excess electricity," said Dr Ashton.
"This Fellowship provides a fantastic opportunity to develop technologies that could make renewable energy systems more efficient and affordable, while supporting the transition to a low-carbon future. By combining energy storage and hydrogen production in a single system, we hope to unlock new ways of making better use of renewable energy and increasing access to clean, reliable power."
The Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships support early-career researchers to establish successful research careers and develop into future research leaders. Since launching in 1999, the programme has awarded more than £133 million to support almost 300 researchers across the UK.
Dr Christina Guindy, Associate Director of Research Programmes at the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:
“This year’s incredible awardees embody the Academy’s mission of Engineering a Better Future. From addressing long-overlooked challenges in women’s healthcare to advancing pioneering research in areas like AI and clean energy, these researchers are pushing the boundaries of engineering innovation.
“Supporting early-career researchers is essential to strengthening the UK’s global competitiveness and economic growth, while helping to develop the next generation of research leaders whose work will shape our future.”