Project description
Reimagining water electrolysis
Contemporary electrolyser technologies face significant limitations, hindering the widespread adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy source. Current methods struggle with inefficiencies, reliance on critical materials, and environmental concerns such as fluorinated membranes. These drawbacks impede progress towards sustainable hydrogen production and hinder the transition to a greener economy. In this context, the EU-funded REDHy project proposes an adaptable, eco-friendly, and cost-efficient solution, surpassing state-of-the-art technology. Unlike predecessors, REDHy is free of critical materials and fluorinated membranes, meeting 2024 targets for sustainably. A 5-cell stack prototype aims to validate its efficiency. With elevated current densities and low temperatures, it promises stable performance, crucial for future hydrogen infrastructure.
Objective
The REDHy project tackles the limitations of contemporary electrolyser technologies by fundamentally reimagining water electrolysis, allowing it to surpass the drawbacks of state-of-the-art (SoA) electrolysers and become a pivotal technology in the hydrogen economy. The REDHy approach is highly adaptable, enduring, environmentally friendly, intrinsically secure, and cost-efficient, enabling the production of economically viable green hydrogen at considerably increased current densities compared to SoA electrolysers. The REDHy method is based on the findings of numerous EU-funded initiatives and patented by the DLR (TRL2). It is uniting academic and industrial entities across a broad spectrum of expertise. Unlike SoA electrolysers, REDHy is entirely free of critical raw materials and doesn't require fluorinated membranes or ionomers, while maintaining the potential to fulfil a substantial portion of the 2024 KPIs. In accordance with Europe's circular-economy action plan, a 5-cell stack with an active surface area exceeding 100 cm2 and a nominal power of 1.5 kW will be developed, capable of managing a vast dynamic range of operational capacities with economically viable and stable stack components. These endeavours will guarantee lasting and efficient performance at elevated current densities (1.5 A cm-2 at Ecell 1.8 V/cell) at low temperatures (60 °C) and suitable hydrogen output pressures (15 bar). The project's ultimate objective is to create a prototype, validate it in a laboratory setting for 1200 hours at a maximum degradation of 0.1%/1000 hours and achieve TRL4. This final phase will emphasize the potential of the REDHy approach and its crucial role in the upcoming hydrogen economy, secure subsequent investments, and showcase the necessity for ground-breaking, innovative thinking to reach climate objectives in a timely fashion.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
51147 Koln
Germany