Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FreeHydroCells (Freestanding energy-to-Hydrogen fuel by water splitting using Earth-abundant materials in a novel, eco-friendly, sustainable and scalable photoelectrochemical Cell system)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-05-01 al 2025-03-31
The FreeHydroCells project aims to create a new photoelectrochemical (PEC) system capable of clean, efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion, with hydrogen gas storing the chemical energy. The system would mimic, to some extent, the solar-energy absorption potential of a leaf but by using thin semiconducting materials as buried pn-junctions that, when submerged in water and exposed to sunlight, are capable of freestanding PEC water splitting. A large number of technological challenges restrict the cost-effectiveness, efficiency and realisation of clean, green, solar-to-chemical hydrogen, state-of-the-art systems, making it commercially unattractive, and severely limiting green hydrogen’s role in decarbonisation. However, the FreeHydroCells project proposes to leverage a number of ideas connected to advancements in thin film materials, devices, and processes to try to make progress in this area.
The main objectives of the project are: to develop new component TCO and TMD materials and a suitable TCO/substrate, integrate them via aligned processes into a buried multijunction integrated tandem PEC cell, and develop and optimise the created PEC cell from small area proof of concept to large area proof of concept and using commercially-compatible deposition tools of ALD or CVD. The aim is to eventually achieve unassisted water splitting with the PEC cells. The project also aims to take the novel developed PEC cell and use it within an innovative PEC system once the PEC cell-to-system challenges are overcome, which to date provide a bottleneck for the state-of-the-art (SOA) to develop a viable system.
The issues preventing unassisted water splitting are many, including the issues preventing a sufficient solar-to-hydrogen efficiency versus cost (both in terms of production and operational financial and energy input costs). Sustainability and long service life are also critical factors for cost-effective uptake and supply continuity versus other, typically cheaper, fossil fuel energy sources. Sustainability means we must use environmentally-benign elements to achieve our objectives, and a long service life means we must achieve both cell and system stability, durability and reliability. These issues are especially problematic at the PEC system level, and to date, the SOA has not achieved an affordable and viable efficiency/cost ratio for PEC water splitting hydrogen production. The project is considered by the EU as a high-risk/high-reward research and innovation action, emphasising the likelihood of very limited success due to the significant bottleneck issues that remain after 50 years of research in this area.
The main objectives of the project are: to develop new component TCO and TMD materials and a suitable TCO/substrate, integrate them via aligned processes into a buried multijunction integrated tandem PEC cell, and develop and optimise the created PEC cell from small area proof of concept to large area proof of concept and using commercially-compatible deposition tools of ALD or CVD. The aim is to eventually achieve unassisted water splitting with the PEC cells. The project also aims to take the novel developed PEC cell and use it within an innovative PEC system once the PEC cell-to-system challenges are overcome, which to date provide a bottleneck for the state-of-the-art (SOA) to develop a viable system.
The issues preventing unassisted water splitting are many, including the issues preventing a sufficient solar-to-hydrogen efficiency versus cost (both in terms of production and operational financial and energy input costs). Sustainability and long service life are also critical factors for cost-effective uptake and supply continuity versus other, typically cheaper, fossil fuel energy sources. Sustainability means we must use environmentally-benign elements to achieve our objectives, and a long service life means we must achieve both cell and system stability, durability and reliability. These issues are especially problematic at the PEC system level, and to date, the SOA has not achieved an affordable and viable efficiency/cost ratio for PEC water splitting hydrogen production. The project is considered by the EU as a high-risk/high-reward research and innovation action, emphasising the likelihood of very limited success due to the significant bottleneck issues that remain after 50 years of research in this area.
During Reporting Period 1 (Month 1-Month 18 of the project), we made significant advances in understanding and providing for the essential building blocks needed in terms of the alternative materials of TCOs, TMDs, and substrates, as well as their process integration. These advances were focused on the PEC cell development, but at the same time, we made significant advances in the design, test matrix, and construction of an integrated PEC system with partial implementation that incorporates all our unique and radical ideas towards achieving a good efficiency/cost ratio while using benign materials and aiming for a long service life.
In RP2 (M19-M29 of the project), we have significantly built on the RP1 achievements and advanced both of these areas of focus to make BMJ multilayer cells incorporating all of our novel ideas and functionality, while at the same time, advanced a novel PEC cell-to-system design approach that gives us a very novel subsystem integration functionality and structural design. RP2 brought both of these subsystems to an advanced state, ready for integration, test, iterative optimisation and benchmarking of our proof of concept verification system at TRL 4 in RP3. We have taken every step carefully so as to be well-aligned for potential upscaling and commercialisation.
In RP2 (M19-M29 of the project), we have significantly built on the RP1 achievements and advanced both of these areas of focus to make BMJ multilayer cells incorporating all of our novel ideas and functionality, while at the same time, advanced a novel PEC cell-to-system design approach that gives us a very novel subsystem integration functionality and structural design. RP2 brought both of these subsystems to an advanced state, ready for integration, test, iterative optimisation and benchmarking of our proof of concept verification system at TRL 4 in RP3. We have taken every step carefully so as to be well-aligned for potential upscaling and commercialisation.
By the end of the first reporting period of M1-M18, we were too early in the project to be able to identify key aspects for the end of project achievements. However, our stepping-stone achievements made excellent progress alongside the early parallel subsystem development of an innovative PEC system. At the same time, we developed the methods to ensure IPR protection is well balanced with our open science commitments, so that we could aim for critical integrated development in RP2 (M19-M29).
The end of this second reporting period has, very surprisingly and against the odds, permitted us to make very significant advances on the back of reporting period one, by achieving the subsystems for the novel multijunction cells envisaged in the GA, and the novel PEC system envisaged in the GA. We will attempt, in the remainder of the project in reporting period three (M30-M40), to integrate these parallel advanced achievements into the final novel PEC system for test, iterative optimisation, retest and benchmarking for proof of concept verification at TRL 4 in an attempt to achieve the scientific and technological objectives that would overcome the remaining significant challenges and permit rapid upscaling and commercialisation.
The end of this second reporting period has, very surprisingly and against the odds, permitted us to make very significant advances on the back of reporting period one, by achieving the subsystems for the novel multijunction cells envisaged in the GA, and the novel PEC system envisaged in the GA. We will attempt, in the remainder of the project in reporting period three (M30-M40), to integrate these parallel advanced achievements into the final novel PEC system for test, iterative optimisation, retest and benchmarking for proof of concept verification at TRL 4 in an attempt to achieve the scientific and technological objectives that would overcome the remaining significant challenges and permit rapid upscaling and commercialisation.