Renewable hydrogen production to transition to clean cooking

该项目旨在开发技术和商业模式及流程，使可再生能源产生的氢气能够用于烹饪。仍然有大约30亿人用生物质做饭。有很多方法可以使烹饪现代化，例如用电烹饪。这件事已经在调查中了。此外，还可以使用燃气。这可能是化石气体，这是有限的或来自可再生能源，如气化或厌氧消化的生物质。事实上，后者已经在中国和印度广泛用于烹饪。另一种方法是利用可再生资源生产氢气作为烹饪燃料。大部分需要转变的地区是太阳日照量高的低纬度国家。这样做的好处是利用太阳辐射峰值电解水，然后将氢气储存起来，晚上做饭用。这个过程是可以理解的；然而，这个系统不仅需要合适的技术，还需要合适的商业模式、人的能力和社会接受度的发展，以实现传统烹饪方式的转变。因此，有一个相当大的空白，这项研究可以开始填补。该项目将由拉夫堡大学可再生能源系统技术中心（CREST）领导。该学生将与非洲电力有限公司密切合作（通过与非洲电力有限公司的Alastair Livesey博士的定期互动），并有可能安排项目团队访问发展中国家的当地设施和领域。

The project aims to develop technical and business models and processes that will enable hydrogen produced from renewable energy to be utilised for cooking. Still around 3 billion people cook with biomass. There are a number of way cooking can be modernised, for example with electric cooking. This is already being investigated. In addition, gas can be used. This could be fossil gas, which is finite or from renewable sources such as gasification or anaerobic digestion of biomass. Indeed, the latter is already widely used in China and India for cooking. Another approach could be to generate hydrogen as a cooking fuel from renewable sources. Much of the need to transition is in low latitude countries with high solar insolation. This has advantages to make use of peak solar radiation for the electrolysis of water and then store the hydrogen for use in cooking in the evening. This process is understood; however, the system needs not just the right technology, it also needs the development of the right business model, human capacity and social acceptance to bring about the transformation of traditional cooking practices. Therefore, there is a considerable gap that this research could start to fill. This project will be led by Loughborough University, Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST). The student will be closely working with Africa Power Ltd (through regular interactions with Dr Alastair Livesey, Africa Power Ltd) and there are possibilities to arrange the project team to visit to see the local facilities and fields in developing countries.