Synhelion and University of Florida get funding for solar hydrogen
Synhelion and the University of Florida, announced that their joint project has been awarded $2.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). The project aims to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of concentrating solar thermal (CSP) technology to produce green hydrogen for industrial decarbonization and electricity generation and storage.
Green hydrogen is an important energy carrier for the transition to a renewable energy infrastructure. Today, however, most of the world’s hydrogen is produced from natural gas, a process that, while economical, does not address the energy and climate concerns of the United States and the world.
The project aims to enable large-scale production of green hydrogen from solar energy by harnessing concentrating solar power (CSP) infrastructure and solar heat to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Synhelion’s innovative technology provides high-temperature solar process heat above 1,500°C, enabling the decarbonization of industrial processes and the production of sustainable fuels. For this project, Synhelion and the University of Florida (UF) will jointly develop a solar reactor powered by high-temperature solar thermal energy to produce hydrogen gas from water and sunlight. The hydrogen produced can be stored, transported and used on demand, such as in transportation sectors aiming to decarbonize their industries.
The cost of producing green hydrogen-that is, hydrogen made from renewable resources instead of fossil sources such as natural gas-remains a major barrier to large-scale adoption in the transportation sector. The project team will work to improve the efficiency and cost of solar thermochemical hydrogen production by exploiting new redox materials. Redox materials are reactive materials that enable chemical reactions in the reactor.
“By leveraging Synhelion’s technological expertise, we are able to integrate new materials into solar thermal processes, which have the potential to reduce the cost of hydrogen production,” said project principal investigator Jonathan Scheffe, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
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Gianluca Ambrosetti, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Synhelion, added, “The funding of this project by the U.S. Department of Energy underscores the relevance of our technology and the need for sustainable energy solutions. Together with the University of Florida, we are committed to replacing fossil energy sources with renewable alternatives as quickly as possible.”
The joint University of Florida and Synhelion project was awarded under SETO’s CSP Research, Development, and Demonstration funding program for fiscal year 2022, an initiative aimed at reducing the cost of CSP technologies and creating new market opportunities for industry, with the goal of enabling substantial deployment of CSP to decarbonize the power grid and energy system. This is one of several projects that will enable the integration of concentrating solar thermal technologies with thermal energy storage with high-temperature industrial processes for the production of economically important products such as cement, fuels and other chemicals.
“With the financial resources provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Solar Energy Technologies, the academic expertise of the University of Florida, and Synhelion’s industrial experience, our team is able to advance the state of the art in this crucial area and reduce the cost of solar-derived H2,” Dr. Scheffe said.
Green hydrogen
Hydrogen is a colorless and odorless gas that can be used as a clean energy source since the only “waste” is water.
While traditional hydrogen is obtained by refining petroleum or natural gas (thus fossil and unsustainable energy) and the production process results in the emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, green hydrogen, is produced through a process of electrolysis of water powered by renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind or hydroelectric power. This process produces no CO2 emissions, making it a clean and sustainable energy source.
Green hydrogen can be used as an energy source in various sectors, including mobility, industry, heating and electricity, and could gradually replace fossil fuels, reducing CO2 emissions and improving air quality.
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About the University of Florida
The University of Florida attracts the best and brightest students, staff and faculty and connects them with world-class resources to bring extraordinary discoveries and innovations to life. UF’s momentum is reflected in the university’s designation as a top-five public university by U.S. News & World Report. Artificial intelligence is a core element of UF, spanning all disciplines so that every student has the opportunity to gain skills and experience in AI. The University of Florida is a place where unlimited potential meets unlimited opportunity through teaching, research, scholarship and service to the state, nation and world.
About Synhelion
Synhelion is a global pioneer in zero-emission solar fuels. The clean energy company was formed by ETH Zurich in 2016 to decarbonize the transportation sector. Synhelion is currently building the world’s first industrial solar fuel plant in Jülich, Germany. The first commercial production plant is scheduled to be commissioned in Spain by 2025. Synhelion is the first company to sustainably generate process heat above 1,500°C with concentrated solar radiation. This makes it possible, for the first time, to power industrial processes such as fuel and cement production with solar heat. The company provides the world with cutting-edge technology to combat climate change and collaborates with international partners such as Eni, CEMEX, Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Air Lines, SMS group, Wood, AMAG Group and Zurich Airport.
About the Office of Solar Energy Technologies
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Solar Energy Technologies supports research and development across the solar energy spectrum to promote innovation, reduce costs, and support an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy.
Source: Synhelion