Articles tagged with "green-hydrogen"
Hydrogen fuel breakthrough may replace diesel in heavy transport
Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have developed a novel three-layer solar material that significantly enhances hydrogen production through water splitting, potentially enabling hydrogen to replace diesel in heavy transport sectors where batteries are impractical. The material combines cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC), cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄), and a nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂) catalyst layer, achieving an eightfold increase in solar hydrogen output compared to 3C-SiC alone. This improvement is primarily due to better charge separation within the layered structure, which reduces charge recombination—a key challenge in solar-driven water splitting. Currently, most hydrogen is produced as "gray" hydrogen from fossil fuels, emitting substantial CO₂, whereas "green" hydrogen uses renewable energy but often relies on grid electricity rather than direct sunlight. The Linköping team aims to produce green hydrogen solely from solar energy, which would lower costs and eliminate carbon emissions from the process. Although the technology is promising, it currently
energyhydrogen-fuelsolar-materialsgreen-hydrogenwater-splittingrenewable-energyheavy-transportToyota & Airbus Push Hydrogen Fuel Cell Dreams - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica critically examines the current state and challenges of hydrogen fuel cell technology in transportation, highlighting the gap between its appealing theoretical benefits and practical realities. It emphasizes two main issues: first, hydrogen is not inherently zero-emission unless produced via renewable energy sources like electrolysis powered by green electricity; otherwise, its production from fossil fuels generates significant carbon dioxide. Second, the cost of producing green hydrogen remains prohibitively high, making widespread commercial adoption difficult. Advocates for hydrogen often overlook these barriers, engaging in what the article terms "magic realism"—a hopeful but unrealistic belief in hydrogen’s near-term viability as a clean fuel. Despite these challenges, Toyota Motor Europe, in partnership with VDL Group, has introduced four heavy-duty fuel cell trucks operating between freight terminals in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. These 40-ton trucks reportedly match diesel trucks in performance, offering up to 400 km range per refueling and zero tailpipe emissions, emitting only water vapor.
hydrogen-fuel-cellsToyotaclean-energyzero-emissionsgreen-hydrogenfuel-cell-truckssustainable-transportationNew device splits water for green hydrogen fuel using only solar energy
Scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) in Bengaluru, India, have developed a scalable, next-generation device that produces green hydrogen by splitting water molecules using only solar energy. This innovative system relies solely on earth-abundant materials and solar power, eliminating the need for fossil fuels or expensive resources. The device features a silicon-based photoanode with an n-i-p heterojunction architecture composed of stacked n-type TiO2, intrinsic silicon, and p-type NiO semiconductor layers. These layers enhance charge separation and transport, improving light absorption and reducing recombination losses, which are critical for efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion. The device demonstrated a surface photovoltage of 600 mV, a low onset potential of about 0.11 VRHE, and maintained long-term stability over 10 hours with minimal performance degradation. This advancement promises high efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness, with potential for large-scale production using industry-ready magnetron sputtering techniques.
green-hydrogensolar-energywater-splittingphotoelectrochemical-systemsilicon-based-photoanoderenewable-energysustainable-fuelNew solar reactor makes green hydrogen cheaper than electrolysis
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia has developed a novel "beam-down" solar reactor that uses concentrated sunlight to produce green hydrogen fuel more cost-effectively than traditional electrolysis. Unlike conventional solar thermal systems that focus sunlight atop a tower, this design uses heliostats to reflect sunlight downward onto a ground-level platform, where intense heat drives a thermochemical reaction to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This approach leverages doped ceria, a modified mineral that facilitates a two-step oxygen exchange process at reduced temperatures, enabling efficient and reusable hydrogen production. This innovation addresses the challenge of decarbonizing hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy industry and transport, which currently rely heavily on fuel-based energy sources. While electrolysis remains energy-intensive and costly, CSIRO’s beam-down reactor demonstrates strong reactivity under moderate conditions and has the potential to match electrolysis in both performance and cost with further refinement. The ground-level receiver design also offers greater flexibility for high-temperature
green-hydrogensolar-reactorrenewable-energyhydrogen-productionsolar-thermal-technologyclean-energyenergy-innovationLow-cost green hydrogen production possible with new breakthrough
Researchers at Hanyang University ERICA campus in South Korea have developed a new class of cobalt phosphide-based nanomaterials that significantly lower the cost of green hydrogen production. By adjusting boron doping and phosphorus content through metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), the team created catalysts with superior performance and affordability compared to conventional electrocatalysts. These materials exhibit large surface areas and mesoporous structures, enhancing their electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The best-performing sample demonstrated notably low overpotentials of 248 mV for OER and 95 mV for HER, outperforming previously reported catalysts. The innovative synthesis involved growing cobalt-based MOFs on nickel foam, followed by boron doping via sodium borohydride treatment and phosphorization with sodium hypophosphite. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that the combination of boron doping and optimized phosphorus content improved interactions with reaction intermediates, driving the enhanced
energygreen-hydrogencatalystsnanomaterialsmetal-organic-frameworkselectrocatalysissustainable-energySelf-healing tech makes cheap green hydrogen without catalysts
Researchers at Seoul National University have developed a novel electrode for water electrolysis that produces green hydrogen without relying on expensive metal catalysts and incorporates a self-healing mechanism. Traditional electrolysis methods use precious metal catalysts that degrade over time, increasing costs and limiting scalability. The new approach uses nickel-based electrodes combined with a technique called dynamic polarization control, which periodically applies a weak reducing voltage to enable trace iron in the electrolyte to reattach and bond with nickel, forming an active oxygen evolution catalyst layer. This process enhances reaction performance and allows the electrode to regenerate itself, significantly improving durability. The team demonstrated over 1,000 hours of stable operation at high current densities and successfully scaled the system to a three-stack cell setup with a 25 sq. cm active area per cell, running for several hundred hours. This catalyst-free, self-healing electrode technology promises a cost-effective and scalable solution for green hydrogen production, supporting Korea’s strategic transition to a hydrogen-based economy aimed at carbon neutrality. The researchers emphasize that their work combines theoretical insights with practical industrial relevance, marking a transformative step toward more economical and sustainable hydrogen energy technologies.
green-hydrogenwater-electrolysisself-healing-electrodecatalyst-free-technologyrenewable-energynickel-electrodeelectrochemical-engineeringScalable method efficiently squeezes hydrogen from seawater
Researchers have developed a novel, scalable method to efficiently produce hydrogen directly from seawater, overcoming longstanding challenges such as corrosion and performance degradation caused by chloride ions. The key innovation is a custom-designed, multi-layered electrode featuring carbonate (CO₃²⁻) Lewis base sites anchored on cobalt layered double hydroxides (Co LDH) embedded within a nickel borate (NiBOx) nanostructure supported by a Ni(OH)₂/NF microarray. This structure creates a protective microenvironment that resists chloride-induced corrosion by forming a metaborate film, preventing metal dissolution and non-conductive oxide formation, thereby enhancing durability and efficiency in saline conditions. The electrode achieves an industrially relevant current density of 1.0 A cm⁻² at 1.65 V under standard conditions without requiring desalination or chemical additives, marking a significant advance toward sustainable, large-scale green hydrogen production. The carbonate-functionalized Co sites facilitate continuous water splitting and localized acidification, which improves oxygen evolution reaction kinetics and protects against chloride attack. This technology holds particular promise for arid coastal regions like the UAE, where abundant seawater and sunlight but limited freshwater resources could enable solar-powered hydrogen farms, potentially revolutionizing hydrogen production by reducing reliance on freshwater and energy-intensive desalination processes.
energyhydrogen-productionseawater-electrolysisgreen-hydrogencorrosion-resistancenanostructured-electrodesrenewable-energyMIT turns seawater, soda cans into 90% cleaner hydrogen fuel
hydrogenclean-energysustainable-technologyaluminum-recyclingcarbon-footprintgreen-hydrogenrenewable-energyFortescue Determined to Decarbonise International Shipping - CleanTechnica
energydecarbonisationgreen-hydrogenammonia-fuelshipping-emissionsrenewable-energymaritime-technologySAF Startup To Leverage Green Hydrogen And Captured Carbon
energygreen-hydrogencarbon-capturesustainable-aviation-fuelrenewable-energybiomasselectrofuelsSAF Takes Off & Ticket Prices Follow: The Real Cost Of Greener Air Travel
energysustainable-aviation-fueldecarbonizationelectric-aviationcarbon-emissionsaviation-industrygreen-hydrogenThe Geopolitics Of Critical Minerals: China’s Grip & The West’s Response
energycritical-mineralsdecarbonizationrenewable-energyindustrial-policiesgreen-hydrogenbattery-technologies