Researchers from Dalhousie University, in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), are embarking on a two-year, $500,000 project aimed at positioning Atlantic Canada as a hub for green hydrogen innovation.
Drs. Mita Dasog and Michael Freund of Dalhousie University’s Department of Chemistry lead this project. Their goal is to identify and test alternative catalysts for green hydrogen production that could replace the costly precious metals currently used. The bulk of the project’s funding comes from a $352,000 grant awarded through the NRC’s Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge (MCF) program, supplemented by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and other partners.
Given the extensive scientific literature on catalysts for green hydrogen production, the project employs artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through research papers and identify potential alternatives. This approach, involving collaboration with Dr. Frank Rudzicz from Dalhousie’s Faculty of Computer Science, aims to expedite the discovery process.
Once AI identifies promising catalysts, the next steps involve synthesizing these materials in Dr. Dasog’s lab and subjecting them to rigorous testing. The Freund lab will benchmark the performance of these materials using protocols developed by the NRC, ensuring a realistic evaluation.
An additional focus is ensuring that the new catalysts are resilient to varying water quality. Current electrolyzers require high-purity water, which adds to the operational costs. Developing catalysts that can function effectively with lower-quality water could significantly reduce the overall cost of green hydrogen production.
World Energy GH2, an industry partner in Newfoundland, will assist in testing the most promising catalysts under realistic water conditions. Successful candidates will then undergo further analysis at the NRC.
While the project aims to make next-generation electrolyzers cheaper and more resilient, it faces several challenges. The global supply chain for precious metals and the scalability of new catalyst materials are significant concerns. Furthermore, the project’s success depends on whether these new catalysts can perform as effectively as their precious metal counterparts.
Dr. Dasog’s optimism about creating a path to manufacture electrolyzers without significant backlogs highlights the potential regional impact. However, the feasibility of widespread adoption hinges on proving that these new materials can lower production costs and enhance the economic viability of green hydrogen.
