Student research sparks clean energy push

A team of students from Newcastle has helped a pioneering green energy firm expand its footprint across Europe. 

Northumbria University’s Business Clinic has worked with hydrogen supplier Lhyfe to develop an international business development strategy.

Headquartered in Nantes, France, with a site in Wallsend, Lhyfe initially asked the students to explore the UK e-methanol market, a key sustainable marine fuel sector. 

However, the students’ research uncovered rising competition across Europe, prompting them to broaden their focus to northern European markets.

Ross Bell, student project lead, said: “Initially our brief from Lhyfe was to explore opportunities in the UK e-methanol market, but our research highlighted a need to cast the net wider. 

“Shell, a competitor, are already exploring ways of supplying green hydrogen for the production of e-methanol in the Netherlands, for example, and European Energy already have an e-methanol plant in operation in Denmark. 

“So, we decided to look at international markets in northern Europe as well as the UK market.”

On the back of their extensive research, the students pinpointed the Port of Tyne, Gothenburg and IJmuiden as priority sites, with the first two offering strategic infrastructure and IJmuiden forming part of a new green corridor linking the UK and the Netherlands.

Boris Davis, UK business lead at Lhyfe, added: “I would absolutely recommend the Business Clinic and its students to other companies and organisations looking for help with real-world business challenges. 

“Ours is a fairly sizeable business and our challenge was a key piece of work tackling some big infrastructure. 

“It must have been very challenging for the students to take on a project such as this and it’s safe to say that it hasn’t been easy or straightforward. 

“I was so impressed with the students, though, and I think they navigated their way through the project very well.”

Since 2013, the Business Clinic has involved more than 3500 final-year students across nearly 900 projects, offering pro-bono consultancy in sectors ranging from logistics and HR to finance and sustainability.

Ed Cottam, director of the Business Clinic, added: “The students applied themselves impressively to a very technical project and we’ve had some terrific feedback from Boris and the team at Lhyfe. 

“Our work enables organisations such as Lhyfe to access fresh ideas, skills and talent that helps them solve real-world problems or add value to their business in other ways.”

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