Hampshire’s Barnbrook to help green hydrogen provider scale up

A global engineering solutions specialist is turbocharging the journey to a sustainable future with green hydrogen.

Fareham-based firm Barnbrook Systems Ltd has joined forces with a leading green hydrogen provider to scale up use of the renewable fuel.

Barnbrook is providing its BlueDot remote sensing technology for the company, which produces and supplies green hydrogen for use in government-backed trials for transport alongside projects for customers in the UK.

Barnbrook will showcase the pioneering technology at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow, from Monday July 22 to Friday July 26.

It is investing a high five-figure sum in BlueDot’s development and compliance with ATEX 1 safety accreditation.

BlueDot leverages Barnbrook’s capabilities in remote sensing systems and the intelligent internet of things (IIoT), developed from its BlueCube technology.

Its BlueDot monitoring and tracking device is fixed to individual cannisters, or cells, in a green hydrogen battery.

They monitor pressure – meticulously tracking for leaks – as well as safety-critical environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and location.

Data is transmitted in real time to any BlueCube host, then into the cloud, enabling reporting to mobile phones, laptops, desktops or even smartwatches.

The system can also be configured to send immediate alerts when pressure, temperature or other variables hit certain levels – supporting risk management, emergency response protocols, business continuity and continuous improvement.

This means that batteries can be tracked when being refilled, during transportation and deployment.

Andrew Barnett, managing director of Barnbrook Systems, said: “The development of green hydrogen is a gamechanger in the race to the government’s 2050 net zero target.

“BlueDot has the power to accelerate the use of this renewable energy source across multiple sectors in the UK and worldwide.

“We are excited to work with a leading green hydrogen provider and supply our digital technology to help it fulfil green hydrogen’s vast potential as a commercially available renewable energy source.”

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. When used for fuel, its only by-product is water.

Its production can be carbon intensive and costly, with varying degrees of emissions ranging from black, grey and blue to green.

Green is the only type produced in a climate-neutral way using renewable electricity from such installations as solar and wind farms. It can then be stored at low cost for distribution and use.

The UK government believes that hydrogen will meet between 20 per cent to 35 per cent of total final energy consumption by 2050.

Barnbrook’s green hydrogen partner is remaining unnamed ahead of the partnership’s formal announcement.