60 Second Spotlight on Khurram Amjad, UKAEA
Ahead of the Hydrogen Adoption Across Industries: Materials Challenges & Engineering Solutions Seminar taking place on 30 September at Cranfield University, we caught up with Khurram Amjad to hear his thoughts on the topic.
How do you see hydrogen transforming the way we think about energy and engineering in the next decade?
In the next decade, hydrogen will push a shift towards green hydrogen production, as policymakers and stakeholders demand full lifecycle assessments (LCA) of how hydrogen is made, transported, and used. This scrutiny will drive engineering innovations in energy-efficient production methods, infrastructure design, and materials that can handle hydrogen’s unique challenges like embrittlement and leakage.
What do you see as the biggest challenge in hydrogen adoption?
The biggest challenge in hydrogen adoption is ensuring it delivers real environmental benefits. This means scaling up green hydrogen production with clean energy, building new infrastructure for safe transport and storage, and addressing materials challenges like embrittlement and leakage. Additionally, meeting stakeholder demands for full lifecycle assessments will be critical to validate hydrogen’s sustainability. Overcoming these hurdles requires coordinated innovation in engineering, infrastructure, and policy.
What key innovations are still needed to make hydrogen adoption more viable?
Key innovations are still needed in areas like efficient green hydrogen production, safe high-density storage, durable low-cost fuel cells, and efficient distribution logistics.
What is the most exciting development or trend in your area of interest in relation to hydrogen?
One of the most exciting developments in my area of materials science is the growing interest in developing bespoke testing rigs to analyse materials in complex multi-physics environments. There’s a clear push towards understanding the synergistic effects of cryogenic temperatures, hydrogen exposure, and mechanical loading — a critical step for addressing challenges like hydrogen embrittlement and ensuring structural integrity in hydrogen applications.
How important is collaboration between academia and industry in advancing hydrogen technology?
Collaboration between academia and industry is essential for advancing hydrogen technology. Many of the key research challenges are long-term and require fundamental scientific understanding, which cannot be achieved without sustained support from both sectors. Industry brings application-driven focus and resources, while academia drives the deep, exploratory research needed to tackle problems for which no short-term solutions exist. Without this partnership, progress would stall on critical issues that demand both scientific depth and practical scale-up pathways.
Why is it important for engineers to attend this seminar?
Engineers should attend this seminar because hydrogen adoption demands a fundamental rethink of engineering practices, from materials selection to infrastructure design. It’s a chance to dive into upcoming challenges like hydrogen embrittlement and storage safety, while also exploring new opportunities for innovation. Staying informed is crucial to be prepared for the technical and strategic shifts hydrogen technologies will bring.