Being Dung-Ho About Going Green
A New Twist on Producing Hydrogen via Electrolysis
In cooperation with colleagues from around the world, researchers at the University of Illinois-Chicago may have struck gold by lowering the cost of obtaining hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way. Hydrogen, considered the most abundant element in the universe, is potentially a near-limitless energy source. To grasp this, we need look no further than water, with its two hydrogen atoms for each oxygen atom. In many applications, hydrogen is a potential replacement for fossil fuels. However, to accomplish this, a cost-effective, fossil-fuel-free technique needs to be found for isolating hydrogen.
Regrettably, the current method of hydrogen production is far from ideal. It involves a steam-based process that heavily relies on fossil fuels, resulting in over 9 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per kilogram of hydrogen. This process is known as grey hydrogen extraction if the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, or blue hydrogen if most of the CO2 is sequestered. In contrast, green hydrogen can be produced through electrolysis when the electricity is generated in an environmentally friendly manner, such as solar or wind power. However, traditional electrolysis is energy-intensive, making it more expensive than steam-based methods.
Here’s where the UIC researchers and their coauthors come in with their innovative solution. They have discovered a way to significantly reduce the electricity required for electrolysis by utilizing biochar. By combining various farm byproducts with sulfuric acid, they created biochar, which they then used in what they termed Biochar Assisted Water Electrolysis (BAWE). Manure proved to be the most effective among the byproducts they tested, leading to a drastic reduction in the electricity needed to produce hydrogen from water. Their system operated using a solar cell generating less electricity than a double-A battery, a truly remarkable feat.
However, as with most new discoveries, more work must be done. Typically, electrolysis produces oxygen and hydrogen, but with the biochar electrolyte, carbon dioxide is emitted instead of oxygen. While this is the same problem the currently used steam process has, it appears to be orders of magnitude smaller, and the good news is that electrolysis-generated carbon dioxide has commercial applications, suggesting that dung-based electrolysis could potentially produce a viable supply of both green hydrogen and commercial-grade carbon dioxide. Imagine a future where biochar-derived carbon dioxide could be used to add fizz to the soft drink you drink as you drive down the road in your fuel-cell-powered automobile.
Web Links
· Hydrogen from manure: maximum efficiency thanks to new technology
· Cow poop might make cleaner hydrogen gas a reality
· Estimating The Carbon Footprint Of Hydrogen Production
Gary J Wells, Sr. 6–14–24
