All posts tagged: Hydrogen

Using sunlight to turn plastic waste into clean fuel has potential for large-scale applications

Using sunlight to turn plastic waste into clean fuel has potential for large-scale applications

Published by skeptic

A research paper by Adelaide University Ph.D. candidate Xiao Lu suggests that the use of sunlight to convert plastic waste into clean energy represents a ‘significant opportunity’- but still faces challenges in transitioning from laboratory success to real-world application. In a paper titled “Opportunities and challenges in sustainable fuel production from plastics,” featured in Chem Catalysis, Ms Lu and senior author Professor Xiaoguang Duan from the School of Chemical Engineering examined how solar-based fuel conversion technologies could help repurpose some of the 450+ million tonnes of plastic waste produced each year, whilst reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Her research found that plastics that are rich in carbon and hydrogen represent an untapped source of clean energy, converted via the process known as solar-driven photoreforming. “Plastic is often seen as a major environmental problem, but it also represents a significant opportunity,” said Ms. Lu. “If we can efficiently convert waste plastics into clean fuels using sunlight, we can address pollution and energy challenges at the same time.” A more efficient way to generate hydrogen Solar-driven photoreforming, …

Toyota announces new hydrogen collab with Nikola fueling spinoff

Toyota announces new hydrogen collab with Nikola fueling spinoff

Published by skeptic

Toyota and Nikola fueling station spinoff Hyroad have announced that they’re joining farces forces to scale hydrogen-powered transportation with integrated fueling, vehicles, and logistics support throughout Southern California. Toyota Motor North America and Hyroad Energy are partnering to deploy 40 new hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 trucks in Southern California in a bid to advance zero-emission freight and offer more clean trucking solutions to its customers. “Accelerating the hydrogen economy requires collaboration, and Toyota is proud to work with Hyroad to move the heavy-duty sector forward,” explains Jason Zahorik, general manager, Toyota Hydrogen Solutions. “By bringing the critical elements together, we’re demonstrating how fuel cells create tangible value across supply chains while advancing a foundational pillar of the hydrogen economy. With hydrogen, we share a vision for cleaner, more powerful and more energy independent mobility.” The collaboration was announced earlier today at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas, where a Hyroad fueled and wrapped truck is featured at Toyota’s ACT Expo exhibit space. Advertisement – scroll for more content Under the new agreement, Hyroad will …

Uni of Birmingham unveils perovskite catalyst for low-temperature hydrogen production

Uni of Birmingham unveils perovskite catalyst for low-temperature hydrogen production

Published by skeptic

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a lower-temperature method for hydrogen production that could significantly reshape how clean fuel is generated. Led by Yulong Ding, the team demonstrated a new approach to water splitting using a perovskite catalyst, cutting operating temperatures by as much as 500°C. The study shows that hydrogen can now be produced at temperatures between 150°C and 500°C, far below those of conventional thermochemical processes. The result is a more energy-efficient system that can integrate with industrial waste heat, opening the door to decentralised hydrogen production. Published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, the research suggests this method could also lower production costs compared to existing green and blue hydrogen pathways, particularly in regions with lower renewable energy costs. A shift in how hydrogen is made Hydrogen is widely seen as a cornerstone of the low-carbon transition. It produces only water when used as a fuel and can power fuel cells or be burned for heat. Yet the reality is less clean: around 95% of global hydrogen production still …

Platinum price pressures and market realities: The hydrogen economy

Platinum price pressures and market realities: The hydrogen economy

Published by skeptic

Experts from IDTechEx assess the future of proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology in the hydrogen economy The long-awaited deployment of the hydrogen economy is increasingly defined by the promise of a green tomorrow, while simultaneously limited by economic constraint. Hydrogen manufacturing, particularly for green hydrogen, and hydrogen applications, such as PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs) are advancing in parallel, yet both face challenges that complicate their short-term scalability and commercial success. IDTechEx covers the hydrogen economy extensively, providing details on all aspects of the value chain, from component suppliers to stack manufacturers and system operators, along with assessing the pain points holding back this society-altering technology. Regional trends for green hydrogen production The upstream segment of the hydrogen value chain, hydrogen production, is undergoing its own recalibration. While green hydrogen has been widely promoted as a cornerstone of decarbonisation, its current market dynamics reveal a more complex picture. High production costs remain the primary barrier to widespread adoption, limiting demand and slowing project development. While grey hydrogen typically costs only $1-2/kg, green hydrogen production costs range …

X-SEED Project: Supercritical membrane-less electrolysis

X-SEED Project: Supercritical membrane-less electrolysis

Published by skeptic

A European consortium is advancing electrolysis with a membrane-less electrolyser to improve renewable hydrogen production, supporting Europe’s climate-neutral energy goals X-SEED is a European research initiative developing supercritical, membrane-less electrolysis technology to advance renewable hydrogen production. The consortium brings together industrial and research partners to improve the efficiency, durability, and cost competitiveness of next-generation electrolysers. Why this matters now? Electrolysis currently accounts for only about 0.1% of approximately 100 million tonnes produced each year worldwide. The vast majority of hydrogen still comes from fossil-based sources, in so-called ‘grey’ hydrogen production, mainly using natural gas and coal without CO₂ capture rather than from green hydrogen produced through water electrolysis. By the end of 2024, the European Union had installed around 340 MW, far below the 6 GW target set in the European Union Hydrogen Strategy of 2020. This 6 GW target was intended to produce up to 1 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year, but in practice, the installed capacity only reached around 5-6% of the goal. How will we get there? X-SEED’s membrane-less electrolysis …

UK backs £86.5m hydrogen electrolyser project in South Yorkshire

UK backs £86.5m hydrogen electrolyser project in South Yorkshire

Published by skeptic

The UK has moved to reinforce its domestic clean energy capabilities with a significant investment in hydrogen technology, centred in South Yorkshire. The funding package is expected to generate more than 400 jobs and position the region at the forefront of European hydrogen production infrastructure. At the heart of the announcement is a £40m commitment from Great British Energy, paired with a government grant in principle worth £46.5m. The funding will support ITM Power’s expansion plans, a Sheffield-based firm specialising in hydrogen electrolyser systems. Commenting on the investment, UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This investment is the government’s clean energy mission in action – rebuilding our energy security with clean homegrown power and good industrial jobs for South Yorkshire. “Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs, and with these plans, we answer that call, helping to create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. “Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial …

Novel insulation concepts for liquefied hydrogen tanks

Novel insulation concepts for liquefied hydrogen tanks

Published by skeptic

NICOLHy investigates concepts on Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) for the economic and safe thermal insulation of large-scale liquefied hydrogen tanks. Europe’s transition in energy imports and storage faces a critical challenge: how can hydrogen be stored and transported safely and efficiently on a large scale? While pipelines and geological storage for gaseous hydrogen are only partially available, liquefied hydrogen (LH₂) is increasingly coming into focus. With its high volumetric energy density, LH₂ is the preferred solution for international transport by ship – and could revolutionise the global transport of energy. Why liquid hydrogen? Among the hydrogen derivatives, LH₂ offers decisive advantages. It is extremely clean, requires no chemical conversion processes, which offers high process chain efficiency as well as reliability, is non-toxic, and probably enables the use of existing Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure. This makes LH₂ a key contributor to Europe’s energy supply security. However, one major obstacle remains: large-scale LH₂ storage tanks do not yet exist, and current technologies are difficult to scale and costly. The solution LH₂ and LNG are stored at …

New solar reactor creates clean hydrogen from plastic waste and car battery acid

New solar reactor creates clean hydrogen from plastic waste and car battery acid

Published by skeptic

Developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, a new solar-powered reactor could revolutionise plastic waste recycling, in a process that uses old car battery acid to convert discarded materials into clean hydrogen Two waste streams could be used to create clean hydrogen and industrial chemicals, helping resolve the question of the millions of tons of plastic produced globally each year. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a method of solar-powered acid photoreforming, utilising battery acid taken from old car batteries to break down plastic waste that has traditionally been harder to recycle, such as nylon textiles, polyurethane foams and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles. As reported in Joule, the team first applied the car battery acid to the plastic waste, breaking down the long polymer chains. This created ethylene glycol, which is then converted by the photocatalyst into acetic acid and hydrogen when exposed to sunlight. The acid-stable photocatalyst was key “The discovery was almost accidental,” said Professor Erwin Reisner from Cambridge’s Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, who led the research. “We …

Hungary and Russia struck 12-point plan for closer ties, documents show – POLITICO

Hungary and Russia struck 12-point plan for closer ties, documents show – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

While Orbán flaunts his close ties with the Kremlin, his electoral rival, Péter Magyar, has argued this is an Achilles’ heel, accusing the government of “outright treason” over its ties to Moscow. The December summit in Moscow was the 16th meeting of the Russian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation (IGC), which according to Russian state media was launched in 2005. The commission has met on a roughly annual basis in either Russia or Hungary since then — with a break between the 14th meeting in November 2021 and the 15th in September 2024. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. According to one of the documents, Russia and Hungary “addressed current issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, joint activities in the energy sector, industry, health care, agriculture, construction, and other areas of mutual interest, as well as in the cultural and humanitarian sphere” at the meeting in Moscow on Dec. 9, 2025. They also underscored the importance of “developing long-term, mutually beneficial ties between the two countries in areas of …