Scientists Create Green Hydrogen Fuel From Thin Air
7th September 2022
According to a paper published on September 6 in the journal Nature Communications, this “green hydrogen” is produced by electrolyzing the humidity in the air, rather than the traditional liquid water, which may allow the provision of hydrogen fuel to dry and remote regions, with minimal environmental impact, especially if using renewable energy. The paper’s authors have been able to electrolyze the air’s water in humidity as low as 4 percent.
“We have developed a so-called “direct air electrolyzer” in short, DAE,” Gang Kevin Li, a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Melbourne, and co-author of the paper, told Newsweek.
“This module uses a hygroscopic electrolyte exposed to the atmosphere constantly. Such electrolyte has a high potential to extract moisture from air spontaneously (without external energy input), making it readily available for electrolysis and hydrogen production once coupled with a (renewable) power supply,” he said.