ITHICA, NY – A Cornell University-led research team has developed a way to generate green hydrogen through solar-powered electrolysis of seawater. As an added bonus, it also produces potable water.
A small hybrid solar distillation-water electrolysis device is key to the process, helping to produce 200 milliliters of hydrogen per hour with 12.6% energy efficiency, according to Interesting Engineering.
The prototype measures just 4 inches per side, and if scaled up, the team estimates it could reduce the cost of green hydrogen to just $1 per kilogram in 15 years. At the same time, this boon to next-gen fuel production could also help address the growing freshwater crisis.
“Water and energy are both critically needed for our everyday life, but typically, if you want to produce more energy, you have to consume more water,” said Lenan Zhang, an assistant professor who led the project.
“On the other hand,” Zhang…
