裸聊直播 celebrated a landmark moment in its 拢69 million Hydrogen Integration Incubator (CH2i) project with a groundbreaking ceremony [on 20 February 2025] at the site of a new test cell facility. CH2i is supported by Research England and industry partners, and will create the first large-scale hydrogen research hub at a UK airport.
Sited near to Cranfield鈥檚 Aerospace Integration Research Centre and next to the airport airside boundary at the centre of the Cranfield campus, the test cells are an enabling element of the CH2i project. The works to develop them are a significant step forward in the project and once completed in the Summer will give academia and industry a facility for advanced research to progress the future of clean energy.
Central Bedfordshire Council Ward Councillor for Cranfield and Marston Moretaine, Cllr Sue Clark, was the guest of honour at the groundbreaking ceremony, and toured the emerging new facilities at the campus along with Dr Mohamed Aly of Rolls-Royce and senior staff from Lindum Construction which is carrying out the works.
Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Karen Holford DBE FREng said: 鈥淭his is the first milestone for us in a large and exciting project which will bring important new capabilities to our research landscape. Cranfield has an enviable track record in delivering complex and large-scale research facilities safely and efficiently, and in line with industry and academic needs.
鈥淭he ecosystem we are building with CH2i will pave the way for industry and academic collaborations to take hydrogen forward as a green fuel of the future.鈥�
Unlocking hydrogen challenges
The CH2i project will connect and grow research facilities at the University to unlock the technical challenges around hydrogen-enabled aviation.
This includes the development of the Hydrogen Integration Research Centre, extending an existing facility to host new labs for advanced materials synthesis and testing for hydrogen-based technologies, analytical laboratories and a dedicated innovation area to develop next generation hydrogen pilot plant demonstration, electrolysis, catalyst development and green hydrogen.
The project will also upgrade an existing test area to support hydrogen research into fuel systems, storage and propulsion; and develop Cranfield Airport鈥檚 runway, to make it suitable for the safe operation and testing of larger demonstrator hydrogen-enabled aircraft.
