A new startup aims to localize hydrogen production with shipping container-based hydrogen-producing electrolyzers to accelerate adoption of this greener fuel alternative. This endeavor is seeking to make hydrogen fuel more accessible, addressing the current lack of pipeline infrastructure that natural gas enjoys. “We are very interested in figuring out who’s trucking in hydrogen today,” Ecolectro’s Gabriel Rodriguez-Calero said.
By offering a solution for onsite gas production, “you’re mitigating a lot of risk around logistics of transportation and storage at the site,” he added. Existing hydrogen production methods can be costly due to the use of expensive materials and outdated, inefficient technologies. Rodriguez-Calero’s company aims to combine two popular approaches: proton-exchange membrane and alkaline electrolysis.
While the former is more expensive, the latter is less efficient. Ecolectro’s method uses a membrane that can handle the harsh conditions of alkaline electrolysis without using PFAS — toxic “forever chemicals” — and replaces iridium and platinum with more affordable nickel.
Local hydrogen production innovation
“You can use 1,000 times the nickel per amount of iridium you might use and still not change the cost,” Rodriguez-Calero said. This new hydrogen production technology comes as the Department of Energy explores the future potential and benefits of clean hydrogen. Expanding its use could reduce economy-wide emissions by 2050 and create over 100,000 new jobs by 2030.
Electrolysis has shown great promise, and widespread adoption of this hydrogen production method could require 200 gigawatts of renewable energy to power it by 2030, emphasizing the need for sustainable resources. Currently, the startup has built a 10-kilowatt electrolyzer as proof of concept, capable of producing 5 kilograms of hydrogen daily. Liberty Utilities in Upstate New York is testing it by mixing hydrogen with the dirtier natural gas it distributes.
Looking ahead, Ecolectro is in the process of building a 250-kilowatt commercial-scale version, expected to deliver 125 kilograms of green hydrogen daily, with operation slated to begin by the first quarter of 2025. This innovation is poised to shape the future of clean energy by making hydrogen more accessible and reducing the logistical challenges of its production and distribution.
