Cidetec participates in the SWEETHY project for the production of clean hydrogen from seawater.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering is participating in the European SWEETHY project to develop an innovative electrolysis stack capable of producing hydrogen directly from seawater. The project addresses the challenge of processing impure water by leveraging AEM (anion exchange membrane) technology and developing new, more durable and cost-effective materials capable of withstanding highly corrosive saline conditions.

The technology developed by SWEETHY is expected to be capable of operating for more than 2,000 hours to produce 20 grams of hydrogen per hour, with a degradation rate of less than 1% every 100 hours. In addition, the project will demonstrate how the operation of the electrolyser can ensure optimised revenue from by-products and network services.

Within the project, CIDETEC will contribute its extensive experience in the development of novel PGM-free (platinum group metals) electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Furthermore, the accumulated knowledge of the research organisation will be essential for selecting the most suitable materials for membrane electrode assembly and validating system performance through electrolysis cell testing.

In addition, CIDETEC will play a key role in electrochemical analysis, assessing the behaviour of anti-corrosion coatings and their impact on the durability of the electrolyser under highly saline conditions. Its participation will drive significant improvements in the efficiency and sustainability of AEM technology, boosting the development of innovative solutions for hydrogen production from seawater.

This ambitious four-year project, supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and led by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, brings together nine organisations from Sweden, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Norway and the Netherlands.

Source: CIDETEC