US scientists produce hydrogen using 600% less energy in new breakthrough

The University of Illinois in Chicago, USA, have published research outlining a new method of creating hydrogen using significantly less energy than traditional means.

This new process uses biochar, a type of agricultural waste, as well as solar or wind power and water. The research team have also worked to ensure the process is as affordable as possible to improve global uptake. By using their method, the energy required to separate the hydrogen molecules from the water is 600% less. In addition, the process uses widely available agricultural substances which would otherwise be classed as waste, adding a further benefit to this new method.

As hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in the global energy transition, essentially replacing our need for gas derived from fossil fuels, this is a major breakthrough for renewable energy. This was echoed by Meenesh Singh, an Engineer at University of Illinois, stating that, ‘we are the first group to show that you can produce hydrogen-utilising biomass at a fraction of a volt…this is a transformative technology.’

The full research paper can be found here.

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Sources:

https://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/hydrogen-fuel-600-percent-less/8565168/

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-physical-science/fulltext/S2666-3864(24)00281-9