New Energies, new possibilities

Seawater electrolysis one of 10 hydrogen projects funded to ‘accelerate net zero’

Seawater electrolysis, repurposing of offshore oil and gas assets for hydrogen production and storage, and decarbonised steel production will all be explored as part of 10 new hydrogen-focused projects.

The UK Hub for Research Challenges in Hydrogen and Alternative Liquid Fuels (UK HyRES) awarded a total of £3m to researchers working on the schemes today (17 January). Based at the University of Bath, HyRES is aimed at accelerating the net zero transition.

Professor Tim Mays, leader of the initiative, said :

We are delighted to welcome 10 new research projects to UK HyRES.

“The projects cover all our hub themes – hydrogen production, storage and end use and alternative carriers – and join the 14 core projects already underway in the hub,This gives UK HyRES a comprehensive base of top-tier research expertise to help answer the key questions around how we can use hydrogen and zero-carbon alternative liquid fuels to help reach net zero.”

An announcement said,

The projects will seek to address obstacles that currently stand in the way of greater adoption of hydrogen and low-carbon liquid fuels and seek to better understand ways to efficiently produce and use, and safely store and transport them,

The schemes include:

Decoupled electrolysis of seawater

Led by Professor Mark Symes at the University of Glasgow, this project will research the potential to create an electrolyser that can produce hydrogen directly from seawater, by using decoupled electrolysis – forming the oxygen and hydrogen products at different times, at different rates and in different locations.

The announcement said,

Producing hydrogen directly from seawater would be a major breakthrough, particularly where freshwater supplies are limited, such as in offshore or desert locations,

Repurposing the economy future of the North Sea

This project, led by Dr Alfonso Martinez-Felipe at the University of Aberdeen, aims to optimise key mechanical properties of materials used for hydrogen storage and transport, enhance the safety of long-distance hydrogen transmission networks, and determine the feasibility of repurposing offshore assets in the North Sea for hydrogen production, generation and storage.

Multi-purpose exploration of ammonia reduction of iron oxides to enable green steel and high purity

Professor Aidong Yang at the University of Oxford will lead this project, exploring ammonia’s use as a hydrogen carrier, and ammonia and hydrogen direct reduction in steel production.

Source:  Hydrogencentral

World’s First 125KW-AEM Electrolyzer Delivered by Future Hydrogen!

On January 12, 2025, Future Hydrogen marked a historic milestone by officially delivering the world’s first 125KW-AEM electrolyzer to Huaneng Jiuquan Power Plant. This groundbreaking innovation is powered by Future Hydrogen’s proprietary technology, featuring key components with fully independent intellectual property rights.

This next-generation AEM electrolyzer sets new benchmarks in hydrogen production with its high current density, superior electrolysis efficiency, and rapid adaptability to dynamic load fluctuations. It is designed for seamless integration with renewable energy sources and transforms fluctuating power generation into green electricity and hydrogen.

The advantages are striking: the AEM electrolyzer is just 1/4 the size of a comparable alkaline electrolyzer, making it far more compact. Moreover, it is a cost-effective alternative to PEM electrolyzers, eliminating the need for costly iridium-based noble metal catalysts.

This delivery showcases Future Hydrogen’s technological leadership and advances the global transition toward sustainable, renewable hydrogen energy.

The round was co-led by existing investor Aramco Ventures and new investor SV Investment. Additional new investors participating in the round include Samsung Heavy Industries, BHP Ventures, Hanwha Investment & Securities, AFW Partners, Quantum Ventures Korea, Kibo Invest, and Seoul IP, along with existing investors Temasek, MOL Switch, Yanmar Ventures, AP Ventures, and Marunouchi Innovation Partners.

This financing follows the latest demonstration of Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system where it sailed the world’s first carbon-free, ammonia-powered maritime vessel in September 2024. In earlier demonstrations, the company used its technology to power an aerial drone, commercial farm tractor, and semi-truck. Amogy’s patented ammonia-powered system splits, or ‘cracks,’ ammonia into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is then funnelled into a hydrogen-to-power system, either an integrated fuel cell or hydrogen engine, generating high-performance power with zero carbon emissions.

“Since our founding just four years ago we’ve been on a rapid trajectory to bring our innovative ammonia-to-power technology to hard-to-abate sectors like maritime and power,” said Seonghoon Woo, CEO and co-founder of Amogy. “The latest technical demonstration — the successful sailing of the NH3 Kraken, our ammonia-powered tugboat — showcased that Amogy’s technology is a safe, viable, and effective solution for achieving decarbonisation goals in heavy industries. On the heels of this monumental achievement, we’re especially invigorated by the strong validation we’re receiving from premier investors representing a mix of industry who are supporting our rapid push towards commercialisation.”

“The Amogy team has demonstrated exceptional progress in developing their ammonia-powered technology through a systematic and highly effective approach,” stated Ilyong Choi, Executive Vice President of SV Investment. “Their unwavering commitment to commercialisation, coupled with a deep focus on research and development, has instilled confidence among partners in the viability and adaptability of their solutions for diverse customer needs. Amogy’s strategic execution plan is set to bring their technology to the forefront of distributed generation and maritime applications, with impactful deployment expected at the right sites and timelines by 2026.”

“Amogy's novel catalyst and reformer technology enables ammonia cracking at a significantly lower temperature and operating footprint, unlocking transportation use cases that were previously not operationally or economically feasible,” commented Laurel Buckner, Vice President Ventures at BHP. “With our investment, BHP Ventures deepens its commitment to technologies that drive innovation, reduce emissions, and support BHP’s broader sustainability strategy."

With this latest financing, the company will accelerate commercialising its technology in key markets including maritime shipping and stationary power generation and will continue strengthening its research and development efforts and manufacturing capabilities.

Amogy bolsters ammonia-to-power solutions | Global Hydrogen Review

January 11, the No. 1 Test Field of the Green Hydrogen Demonstration and Experimentation Platform, led by the China Hydrogen Alliance, completed a four-day "5MW Alkaline Electrolyzer Hydrogen Production System Integrated Testing Platform" validation.

The platform successfully carried out multiple scenario tests, including one-click cold and hot starts, polarization curve testing, wind power curve simulation, load increase and decrease testing, dynamic response testing, stable operation testing at various power levels, real-time monitoring of cell voltages, and more.

These advancements promote rapid sampling, high-precision measurement, wide-range dynamic parameter adjustment, and intelligent multi-scenario test management under the Hydrogen Energy Pioneer Initiative.

Located in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, the platform leverages the National Hydrogen Energy Key R&D Program and the National Energy Administration's first (set) technical equipment initiative. In collaboration with leading industry players, it aims to address critical pain points in China's hydrogen energy sector, including the lack of standardized performance and quality evaluation methods for key hydrogen equipment, monitoring and testing technologies, test equipment, and demonstration platforms. This initiative supports the China Hydrogen Alliance's "Hydrogen Energy Pioneer Initiative," accelerating the advancement of innovation in key hydrogen technology equipment and the improvement of standards governance.

Construction of the No. 1 Test Field began in March 2024 and was completed by the end of December. The facility has now been handed over. Feasibility studies for the No. 2 Test Field have also been completed.

Source: ChinaHydrogenAlliance

Configuration of Asahi Kasei's alkaline water electrolyzer. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Asahi Kasei Expands Green Hydrogen Manufacturing in Japan