Technology:
Hydrogen, Fuel cells, Electrolysis, Regenerative Fuel cells, Power-to-Gas, Renewable Technologies, Energy Storage, Renewable Transport, Electric Vehicles

Policy & Modelling:
Energy, Sustainability, Energy Policy, Climate Change, Scenario Modelling.

Technology:
Fuel Cells (FCs) produce electricity from a chemical reaction of hydrogen fuel, with air. FCs are twice as efficient as fossil fuel generating devices producing only water and heat as by products. FCs produce no carbon dioxide during operation, so called zero tailpipe emission technology. FCs have many potential applications ranging from mobile devices to backup power to transport.

Dr Carton's research to date has focused in three key technical areas of research in regenerative fuel cells that use advanced functional materials: 1). Low cost anode & cathode bi-functional electro-catalyst synthesis and characterisation 2). Support material / flow plate optimisation and characterisation 3). Electro-catalyst and support fabrication method optimisation.

Dr Carton and his team have invented and patented fuel cell technologies to reduce FC manufacture costs. The teams developed prototype patented Fuel Cell Power Module (FCPM) overcomes several technical, manufacturing, assembly and scaling issues experienced by existing fuel cells due to a patented multifunctioning architecture. The Team has secured successive project funding rounds that have delivered 20% reduction in the manufacturing costs, and 50% reduction in size and 30% reduction in weight.

Policy & Modelling:
Connected to the technical developments are application and policy developments required to promote new more efficient, sustainable, cleaner technologies. Therefore Dr Carton's current and future research aim is to link seamlessly with primary energy sources such as solar and wind energies and develop the technology with electric vehicles, “green-gases” and microgrid applications and energy policy, to deliver a sustainable clean future to the next generation. 

Opportunities exist for collaboration activities and commercial activities.

Engineering, Energy, Sustainability, Energy Policy, Climate Change, Renewable Technologies, Energy Storage, Energy Ecology, Renewable Transport, Electric Vehicles.

Engineering is evolving and sustainability has become the forefront of technology development, manufacturing processes and innovative design, to help combat Climate Change, this is my passion.  

However, sustainability is a vast topic that requires a broad base knowledge of design engineering, energy technology and an understanding of policy to allow students grasp the basics, progress their knowledge and appreciate sustainability as a whole, so it can be relevant for them in the real world.