NextGen: Wastewater to Green Hydrogen
We've partnered with global hydrogen company, Hydrostar, to explore how we can reduce the cost and operational barriers of green hydrogen production. Our partners at Yeo Valley and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water are helping to make this happen.
Hydrogen is considered green when it is produced from renewable power from wind or sunshine through electrolysis. Green hydrogen can play a role in energy, transport, heat provision, and hard-to-decarbonise industries, replacing natural gas and other fossil fuels.
Currently, green hydrogen is primarily produced through electrolysis, which usually requires purified water and green electricity. Hydrostar's low-carbon electrolyser system requires a lower quality of water (like wastewater) to produce the same green hydrogen.
Tapping into the UK's hydrogen vision, early adopters can catalyse demand for blended or 100% hydrogen networks, revolutionising decarbonisation across sectors.
A patented electrolyte has been developed and work on adjusting the composition based on the wastewater chemical composition is being explored. The technology uses coaxial membraneless design to reduce the wear associated with flat plate electrolysis, while the AI control system ensures efficiency, electrode use, power levels and H2 purity.
In the Alpha phase, water samples were collected across the UK and basic tests undertaken alongside microelement testing to help refine the electrolyte blend.
- Wind and solar generate renewable electricity to use in electrolysis.
- Wastewater like rainwater and sea water is used as feedstock, as well as process water from industrial users.
- Patented NextGen membraneless electrolyser separates the hydrogen from oxygen in the electrolysis process.
- Waste heat and oxygen is reused.
- Hydrogen is used in hydrogen appliances like boilers as an alternative to natural gas.
- Proof of concept in decarbonising industrial users through hydrogen blending or use of 100% for on-site processes, heating and hot water.
- Potential cost savings from reusing (instead of treating and disposing) wastewater to produce energy.
- Potential to blend excess hydrogen into the local gas network in the future.
- Opportunity to significantly reduce the cost of green hydrogen production.
- Maximises curtailed solar and wind energy to produce green hydrogen.
We'll be working with our partners at Yeo Valley and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water to install a 100% and up to 20% hydrogen blend boiler on site. The boilers will show how hydrogen can be used to decarbonise the site office as well as improving efficiencies through the use in industrial process, plus proof of concept for blending into the network.