Researchers who develop electrolyte to hydrogen Production is increasingly turning into a membrane platform originally used in Fuel cells To expand technology. Their strategy: Use the membranes of the ion, which It can be more effective in terms of cost and Combine the best features of traditional proton exchange and alkaline approach.
The technique of the analized membrane (AEM) allows the selective transmission of negatively charged ions between cathode and anode. In hydrogen Fuel cell, The membrane helps facilitate the chemical reactions needed to generate electricity. In hydrogen electrolysisThe membrane helps to divide the water by separating the hydrogen from oxygen.
To date, AEM has only been published on a small scale. But many renewable hydrogen companies are preparing to change this. May 7, Ethaka, in New York Ecoctro Declare Partnership with Fermangham, based in Massachusetts Reply: Building manufacturing To spread the advanced AEM advanced in US. In March, the French Tire Company Michelin And launched many French research institutions a Multilateral cooperation To develop more durable versions of these membranes as part of Michelin’s expansion in renewable markets.
These companies and many other companies are betting Renewable energy. “This has long been considered a potential savior of many problems with other types of electrical analysis that we are trying to expand,” he says. Lindsey MotluHe is a physicist and director of research at Darssi Partners, a market intelligence company in Houston, Texas.
Scaling Green hydrogen It comes with the challenges that made it less competitive than others Hydrogen production Blind. The field depends on electrocardiograms, which use electricity to divide the water molecules to release hydrogen. Most of them work either a Proton exchange membrane (PEM), which uses precious metal stimuli and polymer membranes to divide the molecules, or alkaline electrolysis, which works with an electric solution.
PEM can quickly explode up and down in response to changing energy sources such as wind and Solar energyBut it requires IridiumAnd it is In the limited offer. Floive electrolysis is less intense in capital and more firmly on larger ranges, but it lacks efficiency and a harsh basic solution complicates system design.
This prompted the groups to resort to AEM, which is replaced Nickel And steel for the costs of PEM. While it uses a basic solution, AEM has a better efficiency of alkaline electrolysis, at least on the laboratory scale.
Serkbek, based in Germany Enapter Austin, based in Texas Agastya Providing Megawatt electrical electrical electricity on the Megawatt scale used in the industry for chemical reactions and heating. in ChinaAnd headquarters Shandong Hygreen Energy In September 2024 ReleaseMr. Dr A AEM Electrolyzer is to use components and operation in industrial gardens and community buildings communications. However, these demonstrations are still limited in size and maturity. AEM technology has not yet been proven commercial for continuous industrial hydrogen supply.
AEM Electrolyzer uses an EColectro membrane platform that is free of ECOCTRO.Ecoctro
Why do you choose AEM for green hydrogen?
The partnership between Ecoctro and R: Build aims to reduce the high costs that hindered the expansion of the green hydrogen range for industrial use. In addition to identifying the sources of cheaper materials for the electritezer components, Ecoctro recovers from manufacturing to return: Build factories in New York and Pennsylvania. For membranes, Ecoctro will use a special mixture of chemicals with a nickel catalyst to improve durability.
The founder and CEO says that Ecoctro takes it one step every time Gabriel Rodriguez-Sialo. The first commercial units of the company, which are developed this year on the design factory in the Rochester, will be 250-500 kW. Rodriguez California says his team is planning to reach the Megawat scale in 2026.
For publication behind the laboratory scale, with AEM run with Renewable energy sources He faces great engineering obstacles. High efficiency on the laboratory scale assume a steady flow of electricity supported Fossil fuelBut the ability to respond quickly to the fluctuations in renewable energy has not been widely tested. Best durability is another challenge, because materials should stand up to the harsh basic conditions. Foda polymer membranes are an effective option, but they pollute water and enter chemicals forever.
To solve the membrane issue, Michelin in Cleremont Firand, France Research partners launched a cooperation They are called alcal’hylab. The researchers will develop a new membrane more durable using a mixture of chemicals as well as an effective metal catalyst-a similar model for Ecoctro. The ALCAL’HYLAB goal is to spread this membrane in Electrolyzer AEM 25 kW by 2027.
“It is difficult to find a truly compatible polymer structure with these operating conditions for a long time,” he says. Jack MadleonoDirector of Chemistry at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), which will host the cooperative laboratory. “You get very good results in Time Zero, but it is decomposing very quickly.”
Can green hydrogen compete with renewable electricity?
Despite many research groups that work on the problem, doubt about green hydrogen remains. Scientific and economic obstacles to their development on an industrial scale that does not lend themselves An investment worthy of attentionEven for a company like Michelin, he says Joseph RumPhysicist at the University of Pennsylvania and author of his book Hydrogen noise: false promises and real solutions in the race to save the climate. He says: “The fact that they are making deals with research organizations that tell you what extent you should go.”
It is true that the green hydrogen did not rise to the noise level. “I think the pace of adopting some of the new hydrogen market was slower than many people hoped,” he says. He believes that Ecoctro is a meaningful step towards competition with hydrogen derived from fossil fuel for industrial users who need to be produced on the site.
But to overcome these types of alternatives from point to point, green hydrogen is still struggling to compete with renewable electricity. The industry also lacks the infrastructure to transport the long distances of hydrogen. “AEM’s biggest problem is that hydrogen has only one problem,” says Rom.
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