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Scientists Have Found a Way To Produce Hydrogen Sustainably Out of Thin Air

Hydrogen is considered a stop-gap between using fossil fuels and full electrification. Unfortunately, hydrogen is hard to find in pure form, and extracting it can be costly and unsustainable. A team of scientists at the University of Melbourne has found a way to generate hydrogen from thin air.
Scientists have found a way to produce hydrogen sustainably out of thin air 8 photos
Photo: RWE
Scientists have found a way to produce hydrogen sustainably out of thin airScientists have found a way to produce hydrogen sustainably out of thin airScientists have found a way to produce hydrogen sustainably out of thin airScientists have found a way to produce hydrogen sustainably out of thin airHydrogen is worse for the environment than CO2Hydrogen is worse for the environment than CO2Hydrogen is worse for the environment than CO2
Usually, hydrogen is produced by breaking down hydrocarbons or through water electrolysis. In the first case, carbon dioxide could become a problem. It is either stored or released, which is how grey hydrogen and blue hydrogen are produced, respectively. On the other hand, water electrolysis is how green hydrogen is produced. Unfortunately, the method is expensive and energy-consuming, so only a tiny fraction of hydrogen is made this way.

With renewable energy sources more widely available, water electrolysis becomes more sustainable, but it can lead to another problem. In many regions, water is already a problem. Using the little available to extract hydrogen might put communities in danger. Thankfully, a new method was developed in Australia, where scientists have created a technique and prototype devices to extract hydrogen from the air.

The new method is still based on hydrolysis. Yet instead of using the water on the ground, it can harness the humidity from the air. The technique allows producing hydrogen with greater than 99% purity, even when the air is as dry as 4% relative humidity. The main advantage is that hydrogen production doesn’t release carbon emissions, and the system works in regions where water is scarce.

The new method comprises a porous foam made from glass soaked in a moisture-wicking electrolyte based on sulfuric acid to absorb water from the air. Electricity from renewable sources like solar or wind can then be used to split the water into oxygen, which is released, and hydrogen, which is collected. The device is estimated to produce 93 liters of hydrogen per square meter in one hour.

The prototype devices are still small, but the team plans to create 1 sq meter and 10 sq meter units in the coming year. One 10 sq meter device would be enough to provide clean gas for a household to cook and heat. Direct Air Electrolysis (DAE), as it was named, has proved to work reliably over a long period. It could also be the first technology to exceed the 20% solar-to-hydrogen (STH) energy efficiency target set by the U.S. Department of Energy.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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