A capillary-fed electrolysis cell could be the "bubble-free" key to the hydrogen revolution touted as a saviour for both climate change and "renewable" industry, and an Illawarra company is at the heart of it.
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A what? We'll get to that, but first the why and the whom.
Hysata, a company formed by the University of Wollongong, is working to commercialise a breakthrough which it says could lead to production of "green hydrogen" for less than $2/kg within five years.
Hysata was spun off from UOW to commercialise the breakthrough, understood to have been made about three years ago, in producing hydrogen from water at 95 per cent efficiency.
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This could enable green hydrogen - powered by renewable energy - production at a cost that could match fossil fuels.
Researchers led by Professor Gerry Swiegers from the UOW ARC Centre for Electromaterials Science (ACES) have published their findings in the journal Nature Communications, saying it may help solve the "existential threat" posed to the planet from climate change.
"Green hydrogen will be essential to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as steel manufacture, long-haul transport, shipping and aviation," they write.
Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to convert water into its composite parts, hydrogen and oxygen.
Now, to the capillary-fed electrolysis cell. It produces both gases directly. Liquid electrolyte is continuously drawn from a reservoir, up a separator, by a capillary effect (independent of or against gravity), from a reservoir at the bottom of the unit.
The porous separator sustains the flow rate needed for water electrolysis.
The greater efficiency in this new process reduces the huge amount of energy needed for producing hydrogen - and its cost - considerably. How big a deal is this? Rather big, Professor Swiegers said.
"Hysata is proud to be at the forefront of this technology innovation and introducing an entirely new category of electrolyser that is as monumental as the shift from the internal combustion engine to electric motors," he said.
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Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
