GB’s Wales & West leads green hydrogen development

British gas operator Wales & West Utilities is leading the development of green hydrogen production from wastewater sources.

The project, which is being undertaken with hydrogen technology developer HydroStar and Cardiff University, is aimed to further develop an electrolyser for green hydrogen production utilising wastewater such as rainwater or water high in microplastic and heavy metal pollution, which would normally be unsuitable for the process.

Green hydrogen production typically requires highly purified water, which is expensive, puts high demands on the energy and water system, and requires energy-intensive water purification plants.

By combining pollutant removal with the low carbon hydrogen production process, the device is expected to reduce operational barriers, enabling the delivery of lower cost green hydrogen to customers.

Have you read?
Siemens and Boson Energy will turn waste into hydrogen for EV charging
European Electrolyser Partnership unveiled as green hydrogen catalyst

The next phase of the project builds on the advances so far in the NextGen electrolyser development and is planned to drive research and development to optimise the existing NextGen unit.

“This is an exciting opportunity to build on the work already underway as part of the existing NextGen concept. We see hydrogen playing a significant role in a future energy system, however, there are currently high operational barriers and costs associated with its production,” says Matt Hindle, Head of Net Zero & Sustainability at Wales & West Utilities, which is managing the project and identifying customers across its network that could benefit from the solution.

“By using different water sources – be it wastewater like rainwater, or contaminated water from industry, we can make green hydrogen production more accessible and more affordable.”

HydroStar is developing the NextGen membraneless electrolysers, which are then integrated with renewable energy sources for green hydrogen production.

In this phase, the company intends to investigate different electrode designs and operational conditions to optimise the flotation and coagulation processes.

Cardiff University will focus on the interaction between the gas bubbles and pollutants for effective capture and removal.

The goal is to have a prototype ready by March 2025.

In particular, the solution is expected to offer an approach for rural communities without a substantial water mains infrastructure to benefit from hydrogen production and use.