Green hydrogen is becoming a crucial addition to the use of solar and wind energy in the journey towards global sustainability. This clean energy source offers various benefits, including efficient energy storage capabilities, suitability for use in vehicles like airplanes without the added weight of batteries, and the ability to power heating systems and industrial processes without releasing harmful greenhouse gases.
The key to green hydrogen surpassing fossil fuels lies in its production—achieving a clean and efficient method of generating hydrogen. The University of Illinois Chicago has recently introduced an innovative technique for producing green hydrogen from agricultural or livestock biomass.
How Green Hydrogen is Produced
Green hydrogen is extracted from renewable sources such as wind or solar energy. Since hydrogen is not naturally found in pure form, it needs to be separated from compounds like water. This extraction process, typically done through electrolysis, requires energy, which is where renewable sources like solar or wind power come in. If fossil fuels were used instead, it would result in the production of gray hydrogen.
Green hydrogen from solar energy and biomass
An innovative method developed by engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago enables the production of green hydrogen from water using only solar energy and agricultural waste. This technique stands out for its high energy efficiency, reducing the energy required by 600%. By utilizing a solution of agricultural and livestock waste in sulfuric acid as biochar, the electricity needed to produce hydrogen is significantly decreased.
Biochar is a carbon-rich compound produced through the pyrolysis of biomass without oxygen. It can store carbon in a stable form for many years, preventing its release as CO2 and improving soil quality.
Experiments have shown that biochar, particularly from cow manure, can reduce the energy required to produce one unit of hydrogen to one-sixth. This means that a small photovoltaic cell and minimal voltage can produce green hydrogen efficiently. The biochar solution reacts with the oxygen produced during electrolysis to generate CO2, which can be captured and used in other industrial processes like fertilizer production.
With a 35% conversion of solar energy into hydrogen, this process offers a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative to current green hydrogen production methods, ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Self-sufficient Farms
One intriguing possibility proposed by the researchers is the idea of farms becoming self-sufficient in energy by combining energy from photovoltaic panels with agricultural waste to generate green hydrogen. A hydrogen fuel cell provides efficient power for machinery and can complement other energy sources regardless of weather conditions or daylight hours. Furthermore, the technique developed by the University of Illinois Chicago can also produce other valuable products from agricultural waste, not just hydrogen.
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