AquaH2: Cells for Producing Green Hydrogen in an Innovative and Sustainable Way

Global warming is one of the major issues currently threatening our planet, with the environmental crisis exacerbated by the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. With economic growth, technological advancements, and a rising population, the demand for energy has increased significantly, reinforcing the need for clean and sustainable alternative energy sources.

Green hydrogen is emerging as a promising solution in the low-carbon economy due to its diverse applications. It can store excess renewable energy and convert it back into electricity when needed through fuel cells, thus overcoming the challenge of renewable energy supply reliability. Green hydrogen can power vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, trains, ships, and aircraft, and is considered a clean alternative in industrial processes such as refining, chemical manufacturing, and steel production. It is also used as an input in the production of ammonia and methanol, and can generate electricity in conventional gas turbines or fuel cells, contributing to the decarbonization of the electricity sector.

The green hydrogen production process requires the use of electrolytic cells that rely on electricity generated from renewable sources to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. This process relies on water as a primary component, but expanding green hydrogen production in this way will place significant pressure on the world's already scarce freshwater resources. This presents a particular challenge in the Middle East and North Africa region, which possesses considerable potential for renewable energy production and, consequently, green hydrogen production, but suffers from a shortage of the water necessary for the production process.

Therefore, developing technology capable of utilizing alternative and sustainable water sources offers a radical solution to the challenge of water scarcity. Our project aims to develop a green hydrogen production cell that uses atmospheric humidity as an alternative water source. Our technology employs hygroscopic materials to absorb moisture from the surrounding air without consuming energy in the absorption process, then electrically separates it to produce hydrogen. Consequently, our device can operate efficiently in desert and coastal regions where securing the necessary freshwater is difficult and expensive.

The aim of this project is to develop cells for producing green hydrogen in an innovative and sustainable way. By using atmospheric humidity as the primary water source instead of relying on fresh water, the project seeks to significantly reduce water consumption, thus enhancing resource efficiency in water-scarce regions.

Furthermore, the project focuses on using local raw materials to ensure the cells are manufactured locally at a low cost. This not only reduces costs but also supports the local economy and strengthens the capacity to provide local and sustainable solutions.

Through this technology, we aim to minimize the impact of green hydrogen production on water resources, representing a significant step towards meeting energy needs sustainably and protecting water sources.

- Renewable energy projects in coastal or desert regions that can utilize their surplus energy to establish green hydrogen production plants but lack abundant fresh water.

- Green hydrogen production projects focused on conserving water used in the production process to achieve responsible production and consumption.

- Other industries that require hydrogen production units, such as power plants that use hydrogen to cool generators and iron production plants that aim to replace the fuel used in the reduction process with hydrogen.

The project relies on replacing the conventional electrolyte in hydrogen cells with a hygroscopic solution. This solution is unique in its ability to absorb water vapor from the air when the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere is higher than its concentration in the hygroscopic solution (above the chemical equilibrium concentration between the air and the solution). Due to this concentration difference, the solution absorbs the atmospheric moisture. The water then diffuses from the solution to the electrodes through a porous medium. The electrodes are connected to a power source (such as solar panels), and the water vapor is then electrolyzed into oxygen at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode.

In this way, we can produce green hydrogen without putting pressure on water resources, using only two natural sources: the sun and the air.