Focused on the recycling and reuse of hydrogen technologies, the HYTECHCYCLING project involves several companies and research centers in Italy, Slovenia and Spain.
This project, coordinated by the Foundation for the Development of New Hydrogen Technologies in Aragon, is willing to in-deep study an almost unexplored field with huge potential: the recycling and reuse of hydrogen technologies.
The Foundation facilities in Walqa Technology Park (Huesca, Spain) hold the kick-off meeting of this initiative during this week. The University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), IMDEA Energy Foundation (Madrid, Spain), Environment Park (Turin, Italy) and Industrias Lopez Soriano SA (consortium of international reference in environmental management, recycling and waste recovery; based in Zaragoza, Spain) are also involved.
HYTECHCYCLING deals with the recycling and reuse of hydrogen technologies, including both hydrogen production systems by electrolysis from renewable sources of energy and the applications of fuel cells. This field is expected to be of great importance along the deployment of hydrogen technologies systems on the market, which is already occurring.
The development of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies will be a short-term fact in Europe and it meet the goals of “decarbonising” energy and transport. European policies pursues an objective of 65% of electricity will be generated by renewable sources by 2050. The idea is to generate large amounts of “green” hydrogen from surplus energy coming from renewable sources. Hydrogen is then used in transport (to power vehicles with fuel cell), but it also has energy applications (re-electrification, power stationary fuel cells in cogeneration, backup systems or injection of hydrogen gas) and industrial uses (hydrogen production for the chemical industry).
Presentation of the different work packages.
Nevertheless, the development of these technologies must also consider recycling and dismantling, or other possible future uses. It must not be forgotten that these devices include high cost and scarce materials, such as the platinum, requiring new treatment processes. Recycling is much easier with the collaboration of all actors, from manufacturers to the end users. That is the main objective of HYTECHCYCLING: to study the best methods to recycle and dismantle devices based on hydrogen and fuel cells technologies, thus anticipating the future “hydrogen society”.
In order to achieve this goal, project partners will collaborate studying the regulations and processes, but also developing new technologies applicable to the key phase of recycling of these materials. Other objectives of this project is to find new business models that can be used by companies and establish recommendations for all hydrogen technologies actors.
