VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed a new method for the production of hydrogen from water that uses solar energy in a centralized way at the point of sale, such as a gasoline station for electric cars fueled by the gas. This eliminates the need for “solar farms” whose hydrogen has to be trucked a long distance, making the process cost effective, safe and efficient.

Led by Avigail Landman, and Dr. Hen Dotan, the new process allows for geographic separation between the solar farm, which consists of millions of PEC cells that exclusively produce oxygen, and the site where hydrogen is produced. To achieve this, the team used a pair of auxiliary electrodes made of nickel hydroxide, an inexpensive material used in rechargeable batteries, and a metal wire to connect them.