Green hydrogen production and storage are a promising pathway to the net-zero economy, but commercially viable materials are needed to enable the transition to a cost-effective hydrogen infrastructure and delivery if the net-zero target is to be met by 2050, according to Professor Max Lu Gaoqing, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Wollongong, at a Distinguished Lecture at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) on 21 May.
A chemical engineer and nanotechnologist by training, Professor Lu has been President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey since 2016 and gave his talk shortly before he was to join the University of Wollongong as Vice-Chancellor and President.
Professor Lu stressed in his talk that when economically produced, particularly from renewable energy sources, green hydrogen holds great promise for helping humanity edge closer to zero because it has the potential to fuel maritime, aviation, and land transport without producing pollutants or carbon dioxide.
"Production, storage, transportation, and utilisation will depend on producing functional nanomaterials such as electrodes, membranes, catalysts, and photocatalysts critical to successfully scaling up green hydrogen production," Professor Lu said.
In his talk, Professor Lu gave the audience a comprehensive overview of the hydrogen economy, emphasising that the ultimate goal was a fully developed market in which hydrogen powered up commercially viable transport systems at the national level.
One of the most significant costs for hydrogen production lies with the electrolyser since electrolysis allows for the creation of green hydrogen using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Using electricity produced by renewable energy sources like solar and wind can drastically reduce carbon emissions.
He also touched on the critical need to focus research on solar energy for producing hydrogen and engineering better photocatalysts for splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, especially nanocrystalline photocatalysts, since their small size and high surface area lead to enhanced photocatalytic activity and thus improved hydrogen generation.
Storage is key, and if that problem can be solved, Professor Lu envisages a world in which ships could be fueled entirely by hydrogen, which would significantly decarbonise the maritime industry.
Professor Lu concluded optimistically that more research and innovation will be required to lower costs further and enhance performance in green hydrogen technologies.
