Hydrogen

Jim Tyler, CEO of solar tech specialist Erthos, says that reducing the cost of solar electricity will be needed to unlock the next chapter of the energy transition: a green hydrogen economy.

A Japanese team is working on a solar water splitting system with a 12% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency, while UK researchers have identified the reason why graphene’s dense crystalline structure is much more permeable to protons.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, has teamed up with RFC Ambrian to form a new company to commercialize electrolysis tech. CSIRO said the aim is to produce hydrogen with 30% less electricity than existing alkaline and polymer electrolyte membrane technologies.

Scientists in South Korea have created an algorithm that reportedly prevents oversizing of power-to-gas systems located in areas with large shares of solar and renewable energy capacities. The algorithm calculates saturation points for both PV and power-to-gas facilities.

UW–Madison has developed an environmentally friendly approach for producing essential drug ingredients by opting for hydrogen, while India has presented new green hydrogen standards.

As the US and British government press ahead with their hydrogen support projects, a team from Korea and the US has developed an iridium nanostructure catalyst, which decreased the amount of the chemical element. Meanwhile, hydrogen projects are proceeding in West Virginia, Denmark, Finland, and Japan.

JinkoSolar has reported a net profit of CNY 3.8 billion ($526.6 million) for the first half of 2023, while Maxeon has revealed plans to open a 3 GW TopCON cell and module factory in the United States.

ITM Power says it has restructured its business to shift its focus from hydrogen refueling to PEM electrolysis tech, while Stahlwerk Thüringen and gas network operator Ferngas have agreed to connect the Unterwellenborn steel mill in Germany to a hydrogen network by 2027.

A research team has developed OHP-based photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, minimizing the usual limitations. Meanwhile, China released its first hydrogen guideline, and Germany announced €18.6 billion for the hydrogen industry. Finally, a German company finds out that hydrogen trains are more expensive than battery-operated vehicles.

With strong government backing; a systems approach to development that views each component of hydrogen production and delivery as a whole; and growing demand, Australia could be on track for a commercially viable green hydrogen industry by 2030.