Hydrogen Fuel Production from Grass

British scientists create hydrogen fuel from grass using sunlight and a cheap catalyst.

Fescue grass. Photo: Ralff Somoff.

According to Tech Insider, since realizing the negative impact on the environment when using too much fossil fuel on Earth, people have paid more attention to finding new and more efficient renewable energy sources.

Scientists at Cardiff University in the UK have found that grass is a surprisingly simple resource for producing hydrogen fuel. Specifically, the study involved fescue grass, a type of grass that can tolerate shade as well as cold weather. The results were published in the Royal Society journal on July 20.

Hydrogen (H2) is not a greenhouse gas like carbon dioxide (CO2), making it a suitable choice for sustainable energy development. Scientists have long sought a simple and cheap way to produce hydrogen fuel but have not succeeded.

The team used sunlight to activate a nickel (Ni) catalyst, which converted cellulose found in fescue grass and water into hydrogen. Cellulose is a long chain of sugars in plant cell walls that makes them stronger.

"Hydrogen is truly a green energy source. It is an important fuel for the future as the world transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Our research shows that even grass in the garden can be used to produce hydrogen," said Michael Bowker, co-author of the study at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute.

Scientists also tested other catalysts such as palladium and gold, but nickel was found to be the most efficient and cost-effective.

According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), hydrogen can be used as a fuel for many things including laptops, cell phones and cars. Currently, the US has about 500 cars that run on electricity generated from hydrogen fuel.

According to VNE