Loughborough University’s battery-electrolyser team, led by EnerHy CDT Director Professor Dani Strickland, has been named one of just three UK finalists for the Stewart Dow Memorial Award – a prestigious honour recognising excellence in hydrogen and fuel cell innovation.
Stewart Dow was a leading figure at BOC Ltd who championed hydrogen innovation and supported early-stage companies in bringing fuel cell technologies to market. After his tragic passing from COVID-19 in April 2020, his colleagues, friends, and family established the annual Stewart Dow Memorial Award in his honour.
The Stewart Dow Memorial Award, jointly supported by the Hydrogen Energy Association and Hydrogen Scotland, will be presented at the Hydrogen Scotland Conference in Glasgow on Tuesday 28 October.
The Loughborough team’s innovation repurposes the traditional lead-acid battery into a versatile system that stores renewable energy and generates high-purity green hydrogen. Using recyclable materials from an existing supply chain, the battery-electrolyser delivers an affordable, scalable solution to global energy and hydrogen production challenges.
The team has catalysed large-scale international collaboration, working with industry partners such as Hoppecke, Hollingsworth & Vose, Monbat, and Fibretech, alongside NGOs and global academic institutions, to accelerate deployment and innovation.
In the UK, the technology is being scaled through low-cost automation to produce new battery-electrolyser cells. These are being assembled into a hydrogen demonstrator at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park, as part of the Zero Carbon Innovation Centre – a partnership with the University of Nottingham, supported by £0.95M East Midlands Freeport seed funding and Research England.
Internationally, the system is being deployed at Mwanza District Hospital in Malawi, where it provides reliable solar energy for lighting, refrigeration, and medical equipment. It also generates clean hydrogen for safe cooking, replacing harmful charcoal and improving health outcomes for women and children. This work is funded by the £1.5M Innovate UK MESCH project.
Additional projects in Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire are underway, supported by the €10M Horizon Europe LoCEL-H2 project, demonstrating the technology’s adaptability across diverse community settings.
Alongside its technical achievements, the team has made public engagement a priority – participating in national science festivals and exhibitions to inspire future generations of engineers and build public understanding of hydrogen as a safe, sustainable energy solution.
Commenting on the nomination, Professor Strickland said: “It’s a privilege to be nominated for an award that honours Stewart Dow’s legacy. His belief in collaboration and practical innovation mirrors the values that drive our team every day.”