A new solar panel has set a world record for producing green hydrogen completely autonomously. Scientists at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) have been working on a solar panel that produces green hydrogen instead of green electricity for about a decade. Recently, bioengineers Jan Rongé and Tom Bosserez founded the spinoff company Solhyd to produce the small “hydrogen factory” industrially. The innovative hydrogen factory from Leuven directly extracts water from the air, making it ideal for use in very dry areas. The system is completely self-sufficient and does not require an external water or power supply.
The hydrogen produced by the panel can be used for many applications, including heavy-duty transport, industry, and emergency power generators. The system uses a classic photovoltaic cell on the top of the panel to generate the required electricity. The water is then split into oxygen and hydrogen using solar power and catalysts, with the oxygen being released into the atmosphere and the hydrogen being stored in a tank. The panel can produce up to 250 liters of hydrogen per day, and the system is scalable, allowing for the combination of multiple modules. The developers claim that the system is cost-effective to produce because it does not require exotic materials in the catalysts.
The Leuven hydrogen factory has set a new world record for solar hydrogen production in the laboratory, with a 15% efficiency rate. The scientists expect the industrial efficiency rate to be more than 10%, which is comparable to traditional electrolyzers. The system’s biggest advantage is its complete autonomy, making it ideal for use in remote areas without access to water or electricity. The system’s scalability and cost-effectiveness make it an attractive option for a wide range of applications.
