New Kind of Electroysis to Catalyze Hydrogen Economy
Yes, there's a double meaning to "catalyze" in that title. A couple of scientists at MIT have created a new kind of catalyst that makes electrolysis much simpler, cheaper and efficient. Theoretically this could help save the world by:
- Creating a simple way to produce hydrogen fuel for our automobile fleet
- Storing electricity provided by intermittent renewables like wind and solar
- Storing electricity during cheap off-peak times for use during peak hours
- Eliminating the need for hydrogen transport, as it could be produced anywhere with connection to the electric grid
Probably the biggest deal here is number 2 and 3. We've already seen some steps toward a distributed power system where everyone has a fuel source in their house. Bloom Energy is hoping to create a system that would allow every person to have a hydrogen storage / electricity creation box in their home. (more)
Sources: CNet Greentech, TreeHugger and Science Magazine Podcast
