Dr Robert Sorrell joined the latest episode of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, hosted by the team at Adopter.
In the episode, Dr Sorrell, CEO of the Royce Hydrogen Accelerator and challenge lead for materials for end-to-end hydrogen at the Henry Royce Institute, spoke with Adopter’s Matt Jaworski. The conversation focused on how materials innovation is opening up the UK’s hydrogen supply chain. It also covered what it takes to move deep tech research from university labs into commercial use.
Robert describes hydrogen as one part of the wider energy mix rather than a fix-all. The strongest near-term use is as a feedstock for ammonia, fertilisers and industrial chemicals. Long-duration storage of surplus offshore wind is another priority, particularly in the UK. Shipping and aviation also stand out, whereas passenger cars and home heating are unlikely to feature.
The episode also covers the full hydrogen value chain. Robert talks through electrolyser efficiency and the path to $1-2 per kilogramme green hydrogen. He looks at the materials challenge of holding hydrogen at -253°C for aviation, and at the funding gap at proof-of-concept and prototyping that stalls many deep tech ventures. he also describes how AI is being applied to catalyst discovery and materials design across the Royce Hydrogen Accelerator’s portfolio.
The Royce Hydrogen Accelerator supports early-stage companies through technical assessments, pitch preparation and introductions to investors. In the episode, Robert reflects on the UK’s position in the global hydrogen landscape. Named UK strengths include Ceres Power, ITM Power, Supercritical and Johnson Matthey, alongside a world-class academic research base. The main gap is in mid-scale manufacturing, where companies often fail to plan early enough for production growth.
The episode is a useful listen for hydrogen founders, deep tech investors and policymakers thinking about where the sector goes next.
Listen to the full episode here:
