In India, BioEnergy Times reported that researchers from China and Singapore have developed a new method that uses sunlight and biomass to produce green hydrogen at lower cost, while also creating another useful chemical in the process.
The new technique uses sugars obtained from biomass such as agricultural waste cellulose. These sugars are converted into hydrogen and formate at the same time. The researchers said this combined process can reduce energy use compared to traditional solar methods that produce hydrogen only by splitting water.
In conventional solar electrolysis, a large amount of energy is required for a reaction that produces oxygen. In the new method, the oxidation of sugars replaces this step, lowering the overall energy demand, according to the report.
To make the process more efficient, the research teams used a catalyst made from cobalt mixed with copper. This catalyst helps the sugar-based reaction take place more easily than the reactions used in standard electrolysis.
The experiment was carried out in a simple reactor without a separating membrane and was powered entirely by sunlight. According to the researchers, the system produced more than 500 micromoles of hydrogen per hour for each square centimeter of active surface area, the report added.
More on the story
