Hydrogen

Hydrogen is seen as one of the most important largescale energy carriers of sustainable energy in the future. Hydrogen is the simplest molecule (H2) that can be produced with the help of sustainable electricity at moments when there is an oversupply of sustainable energy, which otherwise would be difficult to save or couldn’t be saved at all.

Importance of hydrogen

This storge is also needed for moments when, and places where, not enough energy is available (see the figure below). Largescale storage of sustainable energy in batteries is much more expensive and more difficult because of the scale size. This emphasizes the importance of hydrogen as a futuristic energy carrier.

Application of hydrogen

Hydrogen can directly be applied within the society (and the industry) at moments when there is not enough sun or wind available (for example during the night or winter). Next to that hydrogen can be used as a source for other energy carriers, for example for metal fuels. Interesting alternative storage media are solar fuels (also called sunfuels) such as:

• Green ethanol
• Formic acid
• Fischer-Tropsch Diesel
  produced from H2 which is synthesized to the mentioned hydrocarbons with the addition of CO2 (or CO).

The big advantage of these energy carriers it that they can almost directly be applied in the current infrastructure and energy systems, especially for transport purposes (for example airplanes or trucks). A disadvantage of this route is that CO2 has to be available. At places where largescale energy (sun/wind) is available (around the equator) and where a source of CO2 is missing, CO2-capture could be used, filtering the CO2 from the surrounding air, which can be difficult because of the low concentrations of CO2 in the air.

Focus

Metalot focusses on the further development of:

• Hydrogen production systems (electrolysers, battolysers and such)
• Hydrogen usage applications in the urban environment (such as boilers and gas turbines or hydrogen) or the industry.

The first important step is the connection with the theme metal fuels (Lighthouse MEC project), with which hydrogen is used for the reduction of iron-oxide to iron powder.

Ambition

Metalot strives to grow and become the hydrogen hub of the Southeast of Brabant. They are working on the set up of a safe test-environment (fully ATEX-proof) for testing the renewed hydrogen system. Cooperation is crucial in this. Together with partners technologies and market opportunities are being studied. A community with interested parties is being established at this moment.