New $5 million DoE award supports KU startup’s green hydrogen energy research

In Kansas, the University of Kansas (KU) reported that a recent funding of $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy will enable KU and Avium — a startup firm founded by researchers from KU’s School of Engineering — to advance research to make clean hydrogen more affordable.

According to the DoE, the work at KU is part of $750 million in funding for 52 projects across 24 states “to dramatically reduce the cost of clean hydrogen and reinforce American leadership in the growing hydrogen industry.”

KU noted that treen hydrogen is a key tool in the worldwide push to slash carbon emissions, especially in the industrial, transport and agricultural sectors. However, conventional hydrogen production emits greenhouse gases. By contrast, green hydrogen is produced with renewable energy, making it crucial to achieving net-zero goals.

“The whole world is interested in green hydrogen,” said Kevin Leonard, professor of chemical & petroleum engineering at KU, as well as a member of KU’s Center for Environmental Beneficial Catalysis and chief science officer of Avium. “Hydrogen is a commodity chemical — nearly 100 million tons are produced annually worldwide. It’s used in fertilizers, cement production, metal processing and refining. Traditionally, it’s made from natural gas, but that process emits CO2. This results in hundreds of millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions.”

Back in 2017, Leonard and KU graduate student Joseph Barforoush developed new catalysts that make green hydrogen production more efficient, which led to the founding of Avium.

The work at KU and Avium will develop new catalysts and technologies to improve the efficiency and reliability of green hydrogen production. According to Leonard, the benefits might well extend beyond sectors where hydrogen is already used.

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