The Hydrogen Stream: New hydrogel for bubble detachment in hydrogen production

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology researchers in South Korea have found that the performance of electrodes for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) can be significantly improved by modifying them with superaerophobic porous polymeric hydrogels. ”The modification of electrodes with superaerophobic polymeric hydrogel substantially enhances the efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction, because the hydrogel can facilitate the removal of as-generated gas bubbles and thereby minimize ohmic and concentration overpotentials,” they said in “Superaerophobic Polyethyleneimine Hydrogels for Improving Electrochemical Hydrogen Production by Promoting Bubble Detachment,” which was recently published in Advanced Energy Materials.

Shell‘s subsidiaries have made a final investment decision to build a renewable hydrogen plant based on a 200 MW electrolyzer in the port of Rotterdam. The plant will start operating in 2025 and will produce 60,000 kilograms of hydrogen per day. It said the plant will be the largest in Europe upon commissioning. The power for the electrolyzer will come from the Hollandse Kust offshore wind farm. The new HyTransPort pipeline will transport the hydrogen to Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam, replacing some of the refinery's gray hydrogen usage.

Vestas is launching a pilot program to determine how a hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV) could help to reduce carbon emissions in its offshore service operations. “The CTV is powered by a dual-fuel solution, capable of being powered by hydrogen in a combination with marine gas oil,” said the Danish company. It will test the solution as part of a pilot program at the Norther Wind Farm. The launch is scheduled for July 15. and the pilot will run until the end of 2022.

Solges-Energy and the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) have agreed to jointly launch the first complete chain of green hydrogen production in Armenia. The solar-powered industrial demonstrator will initially supply electricity to an energy center created by COAF in the village of Debet. The hydrogen will be stored or transformed back into electricity via hydrogen fuel cell, said the French company.

Air Products and power generator VPI have signed a joint development agreement for the “Humber Hydrogen Hub.” It seeks to develop an 800 MW low-carbon hydrogen production facility in Immingham, England, based on carbon capture technology and offshore CO₂ storage. The hydrogen will primarily replace gas for VPI's power production. 

Hanwha Solutions has joined Shell in a plan to build hydrogen refueling infrastructure in California. The Seoul-based company will supply Shell with high-pressure, carbon-fiber-reinforced hydrogen tanks for transport within its network of stations. The tanks, with a 2,000 liters of capacity, can store hydrogen at a pressure of 517 bar.

Tangshan, an industrial city in China, has announced plans to develop a local hydrogen energy industry. It aims to serve the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It also wants to launch three to five advanced hydrogen companies by 2023.