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The Hydrogen Stream: New
solar-powered hydrogen tech from Japan
pv magazine International "The Hydrogen Stream:
New solar-powered hydrogen tech from Japan pv magazine International"
03 September 2021
The photocatalytic photocatalyst
water decomposition panel reactor and the hydrogen / oxygen gas
separation module developed by NEDO, in Japan.
Image: New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organization (NEDO)
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO) and the Artificial Photosynthesis
Chemical Process Technology Research Association (ARPChem) are working
together with the University of Tokyo, Fujifilm, Toto, Mitsubishi
Chemical, Shinshu University, and Meiji University on the
implementation of artificial photosynthesis systems. “Developed and
demonstrated for the first time in the world: a photocatalyst panel
reaction system that connects a two-scale photocatalytic photocatalyst
water decomposition panel reactor and a hydrogen/oxygen gas separation
module. The test was successful,” reads a statement released by NEDO
last week. In August 2019, the partners started a demonstration test
of a photocatalytic panel reaction system under natural sunlight
outdoors and separated high-purity solar hydrogen from a mixed gas of
hydrogen and oxygen generated by decomposing water. The results of the
research were published last week in the online version of the
scientific journal nature. “Extending our earlier demonstration of a 1
m2 panel reactor system based on a modified, aluminium-doped strontium
titanate particulate photocatalyst, we here report safe operation of a
100 m2 array of panel reactors over several months with autonomous
recovery of hydrogen from the moist gas product mixture using a
commercial polyimide membrane,” the paper reads. “The system,
optimized for safety and durability and remaining undamaged upon
intentional ignition of recovered hydrogen, reaches a maximum STH of
0.76%.” The researchers said that hydrogen production is inefficient
and energy negative overall, but that their findings demonstrate that
safe, large-scale photocatalytic water splitting, gas collection and
separation system are possible. “To make the technology economically
viable and practically useful, essential next steps are reactor and
process optimization to substantially reduce costs and improve
solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency, photocatalyst stability and gas
separation efficiency,” they further explained.
Novatek, Russia's second-largest natural gas producer, signed a
Strategic Cooperation Agreement on low-carbon projects with the Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). “The Parties intend to
cooperate on projects to produce hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture,
utilization, and storage technologies, as well as renewable energy
projects in Russia, including ammonia and hydrogen production projects
in the Yamal Peninsula,” reads a note released on Thursday. Founded in
1994, Novatek entered the global LNG market in 2017 with its Yamal
project. “We are actively studying options to further reduce our
current low carbon footprint from Novtaek’s LNG production by using
renewable energy sources, carbon capture and storage and
hydrogen-based fuels at our LNG projects,” noted Novatek Chairman
Leonid Mikhelson during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
“This Strategic Cooperation Agreement provides opportunities for us to
work with Japanese companies and financial institutions on developing
our low-carbon solutions, attracting investments and expanding the
range of suppliers of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies.”
The energy sector played a significant role at the Forum. Japanese
Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama also signed an agreement with
Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov to work together on hydrogen
and ammonia production. “It is also hugely important that we make use
of all the reserves that are available to us in this country,” Pavel
Sorokin, Russia's deputy energy minister, commented on Thursday.
Hydrogen is under the radar of the entire Russian energy sector.
Rusatom, a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear energy corporation
Rosatom, is planning to launch its hydrogen cluster in the Sakhalin
Region in the next years. “Our current plans include reaching a
production volume of 30,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2024,” said
Anton Moskvin, Rusatom's overseas vice president for marketing and
business development, during the forum, which aims to strengthen ties
with China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
The governor of the Brazilian state of Ceará, Camilo Santana, and the
board of directors of EDP Brazil, a unit of Portuguese utility EDP,
announced a pilot project for a green hydrogen plant in the Port of
Pecém, with a production capacity of 250 Nm3/h of gas. “Its operation
should begin in December 2022, attracting a total investment of R$41.9
million,” reads a note released on Wednesday. According to the Ceará
government, the project will be the first green hydrogen plant in the
country. “Installed in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex (CIPP),
the plant will be the group's first, with 3 MW capacity and a
state-of-the-art electrolyzer module for the production of fuel with
guaranteed renewable origin,” said the government of the northeastern
state located on the Atlantic coast. EDP CEO Joăo Marques da Cruz
added that the project was also aimed at the international market. The
project will include research on the green hydrogen production chain
and business models. For now, most of the projects announced in Brazil
are scheduled to start operations in 2024/2025.
US construction machinery giant Caterpillar announced it would begin
offering generator sets capable of operating on 100% hydrogen,
including fully renewable green hydrogen, on a designed-to-order basis
in late 2021. “More immediately, the company will launch commercially
available power generation solutions that can be configured to operate
on natural gas blended with up to 25% hydrogen,” reads the note
released by the company on Wednesday. The world’s leading manufacturer
of construction and mining equipment said that some of its gas turbine
generator sets have run on high hydrogen blends for decades and are
already capable of operating on 100% hydrogen.
U.S.-based zero-emission vehicle company
Nikola and Germany-based industrial conglomerate Bosch Group have
signed agreements for Nikola to utilize fuel-cell power modules using
technology licensed from Bosch. The focus is on Nikola Class 7 and 8
fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV). “Under the agreements, Bosch will
supply both fully assembled fuel-cell power modules as well as major
components to Nikola, including the fuel-cell stack, for Nikola to
assemble at its manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona. The
parties will work together for sourcing of remaining components for
the assemblies,” reads the note released on Thursday. The fuel-cell
power modules are expected to launch in 2023, with the first
application being the Class 8 regional-haul Nikola Tre FCEV. The
vehicles are planned to utilize common fuel-cell power modules in 200
kW and 300 kW configurations. “The Nikola Tre FCEV will also be
launched in the EU, utilizing the same fuel-cell power modules
supporting vehicle manufacturing planned at Nikola’s joint venture
with Iveco in Ulm, Germany.”
The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) teamed up with Cologne-based engine
manufacturer Deutz to develop new hydrogen-based solutions for
off-highway vehicles. The parties inked the deal for equipment and
agricultural machinery production last week. “The aim is to speed up
progress in making hydrogen drives viable for the off-highway segment
and we will be combining our expertise and R&D capabilities to achieve
this,” commented Markus Müller, Deutz’s chief technology officer.
Green Play Ammonia™, Yielder® NFuel Energy.
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