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Hydrogen generators for carbon-free electricity
CategoriesSustainable News

Hydrogen generators for carbon-free electricity

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In the construction sector, 98 per cent of all energy comes from diesel, and fossil fuel generators are also commonly used in a range of other settings such as outdoor live events. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, diesel generators produce air pollutants harmful to human health, as well as disruptive noise. As a result, companies are increasingly looking for alternative methods for powering their sites.  

One promising technology for the future of site energy is hydrogen power, and UK startup GeoPura has successfully trialled the technology on two UK infrastructure projects (National Grid’s Viking Link interconnector project and HS2), potentially paving the way for its wider adoption.  

Following ten years of research and development, GeoPura has developed its Hydrogen Power Unit (HPU), which combines hydrogen fuel cell technology with battery storage and real-time electrical conversion. The fuel cell splits the hydrogen into protons and electrons, which creates an electrical current that charges the batteries. The batteries, in turn, provide power to the site for applications such as electric vehicle charging, heating, and hot water. The HPUs are housed in a 20-foot portable shipping container, and it generally only takes a few hours to set up the system. The hydrogen fuel is delivered by HGVs.  

Hydrogen is attractive as a fuel because it only emits water vapour at the point of use. If the hydrogen is produced sustainably, the whole system is carbon-free. GeoPura produces its own green hydrogen by using electricity from renewable sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. It then tops up its own supply with hydrogen purchased from natural gas producers (which is not emissions-free).

Springwise has spotted various ways that sites could produce and store their own green power, including using volcanic rock cells and spent electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Researchers discover an enzyme that turns air into electricity
CategoriesSustainable News

Researchers discover an enzyme that turns air into electricity

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Many bacteria use hydrogen from the atmosphere as an energy source in nutrient-poor environments. And now, Australian researchers have demonstrated that an enzyme, called Huc, can turn hydrogen gas into an electrical current.

The research team, led by Dr Rhys Grinter, PhD student Ashleigh Kropp, and Professor Chris Greening from the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute in Melbourne, Australia, isolated the Huc enzyme from a common soil bacterium, Mycobacterium smegmatis. They also found that the enzyme can generate electricity at hydrogen concentrations well below atmospheric levels — as low as 0.00005 per cent of the air we breathe.

To make their discovery, the researchers used advanced microscopy to reveal the enzyme’s structure and electrical pathways, and electrochemistry techniques to prove that the enzyme created electricity even with minimal amounts of hydrogen. Molecular modelling and simulations were also used in the research.

Additional work demonstrated that purified Huc is very stable and can be stored for long periods. In nature, the enzyme helps bacteria to survive in the most extreme environments. This means it can be frozen or heated to 80 degrees Celsius, and still retain its power to generate energy.

The energy-producing bacteria join a host of recent innovations spotted in the Springwise archive that involve microbes. These include cold-loving microbes that can digest plastic and microbes that can produce food-grade proteins.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

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A membrane that generates electricity and cleans wastewater
CategoriesSustainable News

A membrane that generates electricity and cleans wastewater

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: According to the Centres for Disease Control, up to two billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water at home, and, at the same time, up to 770 million people live without access to electricity. The purification of water, for example from sewage or rainwater, is a high-energy process, which is why a number of innovators are working to develop renewable energy sources for purification. But what if the purification process itself could generate electricity? A team from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Myongji University has recently announced that it has done just that.

The research team has developed a membrane that can simultaneously provide drinking water and generate continuous electricity from various water resources. The “sandwich-like” material includes a layer of porous membrane that can filter out most contaminants smaller than 10 nanometres. This includes microplastics and particles of heavy metals.

At the same time, water flowing over a layer of conductive polymer – perpendicular to the membrane – generates direct current due to ions moving horizontally. The membrane can be manufactured in virtually any size using a 3D printing process. This means it could potentially be adapted to any number of commercial projects.

Dr. Ji-Soo Jang, who headed up the team from KIST, highlights: “As a novel technology that can solve [the] water shortage problem and produce eco-friendly energy simultaneously, it also has great potential applications in the water quality management system and emergency power system.”

Finding solutions to the problem of water shortages has led to a number of recent innovations. Springwise has spotted a countertop water purifier, and a social enterprise working to establish affordable and reliable water infrastructure in Africa.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

An engine turns waste heat into clean electricity
CategoriesSustainable News

An engine turns waste heat into clean electricity

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Various studies have estimated that around 20 to 50 per cent of industrial energy consumption is discharged as waste heat – and up to 30 per cent of this could be harnessed and utilised. Looking to make use of the heat emitted by traditional engines, Israel-based startup Luminescent has built a system that produces zero-emission electricity. 

A small, isothermal engine upcycles waste heat and is designed to fit alongside conventional large engines and generators in order to send electricity back to the grid. If needed, the Luminescent device stores between 8 and 20 hours of renewable energy.  

The new device uses a heat transfer liquid to gather and move the heat emitted from another engine into the upcycling system. The liquid is then mixed with either air or gas and put under pressure, which causes the material to expand – this expansion converts the liquid into kinetic energy that powers a generator. The generator can then run other devices and systems, store power, or send electricity back to the grid. 

Currently working at around 70 per cent efficiency, the system could become available commercially in the next two to three years. Luminescent plans to use the $7 million (around €6.5 million) it raised recently in a round of seed funding to bring the engine to market.  

From the excess heat of public transport systems heating homes to car parks heating the buildings above, Springwise has spotted many ways innovators are making use of previously wasted emissions and resources.

Written By Keely Khoury

Reference

A power system brings reliable, affordable electricity to off-grid communities across Africa
CategoriesSustainable News

A power system brings reliable, affordable electricity to off-grid communities across Africa

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In sub-Saharan Africa, the electrification gap is one of the primary barriers to development. As many as 600 million people in the region live without reliable power. Many basic needs, from education and healthcare to economic opportunity, remain out of reach for millions of people as a result.

Zola Electric, a company originally founded in Tanzania, has developed a power system that promises to bring reliable, affordable electricity to off-grid communities across Africa.

The Zola ‘Infinity’ system is designed to be more reliable and cost-effective than traditional grid-based power and can be quickly deployed to rural areas where electrification is most needed.

The system draws on multiple energy inputs and a smart storage system to provide continuous power. With Infinity, African families will finally have access to the lights, refrigeration, pumps, and other appliances that they need to improve their quality of life. Importantly, Infinity is also designed to be scalable and adaptable, meaning that it can grow with communities as their needs change.

Zola has received backing from a number of prestigious investors including Tesla, Total, and EDF.

Mini-grids and smart storage solutions will be increasingly important as the world’s energy system becomes more decentralised. Springwise has recently spotted a software service that optimises decentralised energy projects and a plug-and-play solar energy system for swarm electrification.

Written By: Katrina Lane

24th June 2022

Website: zolaelectric.com

Contact: zolaelectric.com/contact

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