Maarten Verbraeken completed a Chemical Technology degree at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, specialising in high temperature fuel cells with optimised electrode microstructure and their electrochemical characterisation. He subsequently completed doctoral studies at the University of St Andrews, studying hydride materials for their potential in hydrogen storage applications and electrochemical devices. Postdoctoral research includes work on introducing next generation anode materials, resistant to redox cycling, coking and sulphur poisoning, in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and testing these in a 1 kW CHP system. Postdoctoral research at the University of Ediburgh involved studying adsorption column dynamics for fluid separation. This entailed developing new thermodynamic models and introducing these into process simulation tools to aid optimisation of separation processes. Models were validated by means of experimental work on next generation adsorption materials, such as zeolites exhibiting triggered gate opening and breathing MOFs.

Maarten was systems engineer at the Scottish Hydrogen Accelerator, which aimed to support public and private sector organisations with deploying hydrogen technologies and increasing the scale of deployment beyond niche projects. This role was varied and included providing technical advice relating to hydrogen and other low carbon technologies, project scoping at the pre-FEED stage, supporting public procurement exercises (preparing technical specifications and assessing tender bids), client-side project management, techno-economic modelling, health and safety advice and so on.

Maarten now works as an independent consultant. Although the following list is not exhaustive, MCV Science Consulting can provide specialist advice on:

Process engineering

o   Process data treatment, analysis and interpretation

o   Process optimisation

o   Thermodynamic modelling

Materials science

o   Fuel cell or electrolyser test data analysis and interpretation

§  IV diagrams

§  Impedance spectroscopy

o   Ceramics processing (solvent or aqueous)

§  Formulation advice

o   Diffraction data analysis

§  Powder X-ray diffraction

§  Powder neutron diffraction

o   Conductivity test data analysis and interpretation

§  4 probe measurements

§  Impedance spectroscopy

Hydrogen specific advice

o   Hydrogen generation plant sizing

o   Equipment assessment and selection (based on renewable assets)

§  Electrolysers

§  Compression

§  Hydrogen storage

§  Dispensing (for refuellers)

o   Materials selection

o   High level equipment costing

o   Hydrogen safety

o   Greenhouse gas emissions

§  Low carbon hydrogen standard compliance

§  Carbon capture rate advice

o   Cost modelling e.g.

§  Total cost of ownership

§  Project economics

§  Business/financial case

o   UK hydrogen economy landscape, policy and insights etc.