Solar-powered hydrogen production has been a goal of engineers for decades. However, this task proved expensive and very difficult to complete, resulting in science falling behind other ways to produce green energy, such as solar and geothermal options. This month marks a major development in this research as a team of engineers based out of the EU introduced an electrochemical plastic recycling process that produces hydrogen as a clean byproduct. Here’s what you need to know
Notably, creating clean energy can be a difficult task that, in some scenarios, heavily reduces the advantage of using it in the first place. Systems like solar panels and wind farms can cost a lot to set up, monitor, and maintain. Additionally, they require lots of space and often rely on older manufacturing methods that aren’t green to produce. This research seeks to transform this paradigm, keeping the production methods and strategies in line with the overall goal of achieving clean energy.
Plastic Waste
Levels of plastic waste have hit historic proportions globally. Already in 2024, analysts predict 220M tonnes of plastic waste will be produced. Sadly, only around 10% of this waste will ever make it to a recycling plant. Consequently, the remaining 90% of waste sits in landfills, waterways, and on city streets.
Could Get Worse
According to environmentalists and researchers, the plastic waste dilemma is only going to get worse in the coming years. For one, every year provides improved production capacity, resulting in more use and waste.
Plastic Dangers Intensify
Over time, plastic breaks down into harmful byproducts that can result in health issues like cancer and antibiotic resistance, in addition to the obvious environmental impacts. Tiny plastic pollutants have been found in the food chain.
Notably, a large portion of this plastic waste includes polystyrene, which is the product that engineers targeted for their carbon recycling strategy that led them to the solar-powered hydrogen production strategy.
Carbon Recycling Seeks to Reduce Waste
There are currently many different recycling methods available to help reduce waste. One of the most celebrated and effective is carbon recycling. This strategy revolves around breaking down waste and using it to create new materials that can then be used in other manufacturing processes.
The goal of carbon recycling is to eliminate waste one day by transforming useless plastic waste and giving it new life in the form of early-stage industrial material. Here are the most common types of carbon recycling in use today.
Electrochemical Degradation
Electrochemical degradation uses a mix of certain chemicals and varying electrical charges to separate and create new chemical bonds within the waste plastic. This method requires a lot of electricity to successfully break down the chemical bonds and leave smaller, more useful molecules.
Biodegradation
Biodegradation is another form of carbon recycling that has grown in popularity over the last few years. This method incorporates living organisms like fungi and bacteria. These microorganisms feed off plastic waste on a molecular level which releases the carbon and oxygen molecules.
This approach has the advantage of not requiring massive amounts of electricity or dangerous chemicals. However, it can be slow, and there is no way to fully determine how long the breakdown process will take as environmental conditions and other factors could affect the microorganism’s performance.
Thermal Decomposition
Thermal decomposition utilizes heat to break down the molecular bonds and free up carbon molecules using a process called pyrolysis. This method generates heat, steam, and electricity, which can be used to offset manufacturing requirements. Thermal decomposition provides low emissions, reduces air pollutants, and can produce bio-oil, carbon fibers, and many other valuable products.
Hydrogen from Solar Panels Study
This month a team of engineers from Friedrich Wöhler Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry in Göttingen published a study in the journal Angewandte Chemie, detailing a new electrochemical process that requires minimal energy and doesn’t produce any harmful byproducts.
Source – Friedrich Wöhler Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry in Göttingen
The method relies on a process known as Iron electrocatalysis, which stimulates the materials and aids in degradation. The study specifically reviews using an electrocatalytic method to provide a more efficient degradation of polystyrenes. The engineers successfully proved that converting waste plastic into industrial material like monomeric benzoyl products was possible, creating hydrogen as a bi-product along the way.
Test
The testing began with engineers attempting to convert plastic waste on a gram scale. Specifically, the team created an iron porphyrin complex that could cycle between different oxidation steps, enhancing the polystyrene degradation process.
Results
The testing proved that the researchers could successfully create hydrogen using this method alongside a host of other helpful industrial materials, such as benzoic acid, which is found in many preservatives, and benzaldehyde. Notably, they had not set out to produce hydrogen at all but rather to showcase the efficiency of their low-energy carbon recycling method.
Benefits
There are a lot of different benefits that this research brings to the markets. For one, the process is entirely Iron-based. Iron isn’t rare and can be found all over the world. This readily available ingredient is easy to obtain, inexpensive, and available in mass quantities.
Inexpensive
The main draw for this method of hydrogen production is that it reduces the electrical consumption of other carbon-capturing methods. It’s less expensive to order and utilize iron versus the other methods of carbon recycling.
Iron is Nontoxic
Another major benefit of using iron is that it’s non-toxic. It’s naturally found and doesn’t hurt the environment. As such, its use falls in line with the overall goal of cleaning up and lowering costs for everyone.
Efficient
Another major bonus for his product is that it doesn’t require a lot of energy to complete. As such, it can run on normal solar panels. This strategy creates a closed loop for the production and use cycle of the product, further lowering costs and improving performance.
Integrating solar panels into this equation is seen by many as the next step in creating a more efficient method that can be used globally. Notably, high-efficiency solar panels and other recent advancements could improve this approach more in the coming weeks.
Scalability
Another major plus to the new electrochemical iron process is that it can scale to an industrial level quickly. The technology is easy to integrate and ready for deployment. Interest in this green hydrogen production method has already been piqued.
Researchers
The carbon recycling study was spearheaded by Lutz Ackermann at the Friedrich Wöhler Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry in Göttingen. The reserve worked with others to gain a full understanding of why and how this unique form of chemical recycling could create a greener tomorrow.
Companies that could benefit from the Solar Powered Hydrogen Study
When you examine the market, you can easily see a few firms that could leverage this development to improve their bottom line. Companies in the carbon recycling business are sure to take note of the added efficiency to improve their bottom line. Here’s one firm well-positioned to see gains as this tech becomes publicly available.
Chart Industries GTLS
Wisconsin-based Chart Industries (GTLS +1.22%) entered the market in 1985. Charles and Arthur Holmes launched the company to provide products and support to energy and gas providers. Specifically, the firm specialized in cryogenic equipment before branching out into carbon recycling via an acquisition of Earthly Lans.
Earthly Lans helped Chart Industries introduce Cryogenic Carbon Capture (CCC) technology into their manufacturing process. This unique system reduces pollution via a proprietary carbon recycling process. As such, it’s seen by many as one of the best environmentally friendly options on the table for those seeking to reduce carbon pollution on an industrial scale.
Chart Industries, Inc. (GTLS +1.22%)
Chart Industries has seen some ups and downs this year but is still considered a strong ‘hold‘ by most analysts. The company has secured multiple high-level acquisitions. Additionally, it opened plants in Asia, India, Australia, Europe, and South America.
Chart industries could integrate this low-cost recycling method to cut down on waste and improve its bottom line. Demand for GTLS stock could increase over the next few weeks and months thanks to these developments and the company’s new products and services. Currently, GTLS has a market cap of $7.09B with a YTD return of 21.48%.
Solar Powered Hydrogen – Future
Creating hydrogen and other valuable industrial compounds using solar panels is a game changer. These technologies can further work together to enhance green manufacturing. For now, as these technologies are still making their way to the public, the best option is to manage and reduce your waste responsibly.
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