A significant breakthrough in green energy has emerged from China, where a company has developed the world's first megawatt-level seawater electrolyzer for hydrogen production. This innovative technology paves the way for new offshore energy development.
Reported by the domestic newspaper Science and Technology Daily on Friday, the electrolyzer successfully completed its initial test run. The newspaper highlighted the technology as a \"key breakthrough\" for its developer, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
The electrolyzer's core components are compactly housed within five shipping containers, facilitating easy deployment at sea. According to CNOOC engineer Li Zhichuan, \"It can produce 200 normal cubic meters of hydrogen per hour with a purity of 99.999 percent.\"
Designed to utilize surplus electricity generated by offshore wind and solar farms, the system leverages the abundance of seawater. \"Seawater electrolysis offers advantages over traditional freshwater electrolysis,\" Li explained. \"Seawater is abundant.\"
Despite challenges, such as the complex composition of seawater making electrolyzers more susceptible to damage, Li's team developed an innovative solution. This allows raw seawater to be fed directly into the electrolyzer without prior purification, enabling stable and cost-effective operation.
A CNOOC manager stated that the technology has the potential to establish a new model for green hydrogen-based energy consumption at sea.
Reference(s):
China debuts world's 1st megawatt seawater electrolyzer for hydrogen
cgtn.com
