Related article: Sparc Hydrogen progresses pilot plant development

The provisional patent application has been submitted by Sparc on the back of more than 12 months of work with the University of Adelaide investigating alternate substrates, coating methods and delivery systems within photocatalytic water-splitting (PWS) reactors.

Initial proof of concept has been achieved with an analogue photocatalyst material demonstrating the potential to improve the current methods for coating and delivery of particulate photocatalysts to achieve higher solar to hydrogen efficiencies and lower operating costs through increased durability and better handling.

The majority of this work has been completed at the University of Adelaide with funding from Sparc Technologies.

Sparc managing director Nick O’Loughlin said, “The lodgement of this provisional patent application is significant not just insofar as the technology’s potential to improve the cost and efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting systems, but also the synergies it demonstrates between Sparc’s coatings and polymers expertise being applied to uplift the value of its investment in Sparc Hydrogen.

“Results in the lab are very encouraging and given the nascent stage of the PWS industry there is strong potential to deliver a highly relevant and complementary platform technology protected by IP which is 100% owned by Sparc Technologies.”

Sparc Hydrogen’s utilisation of PWS technology is set apart from conventional approaches to produce green hydrogen. Crucially, PWS does not rely on renewable energy sources such as solar or wind farms, nor expensive electrolysers, to produce hydrogen from water. This addresses a fundamental issue in the nascent green hydrogen industry—the cost of renewable power.

Related article: New catalyst could advance green hydrogen production

Sparc Hydrogen’s pioneering technology employs a photocatalyst material and sunlight to produce ‘ultra-green’ hydrogen directly from water. Hydrogen produced from PWS can serve as a clean fuel or feedstock to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries.

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