Creating Green Hydrogen with Urine - CleanTechnica

Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation have developed two innovative electrolysis systems that generate green hydrogen using urea found in urine and wastewater. These systems offer a more energy-efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional water electrolysis, reducing electricity consumption by 20–27%. Unlike conventional hydrogen production methods that rely on fossil fuels (grey hydrogen) or energy-intensive processes, these new systems can produce hydrogen at costs comparable to or lower than grey hydrogen while also mitigating nitrogenous waste by converting it into harmless nitrogen gas instead of toxic nitrates and nitrites. The first system employs a membrane-free electrolysis approach with a novel copper-based catalyst using pure urea, while the second system innovatively uses human urine as a green urea source, addressing sustainability concerns associated with industrial urea production. However, urine’s chloride ions pose a challenge by causing chlorine generation that corrodes the anode. To overcome this, the second system utilizes a platinum-based catalyst