Oct 20 2005
The BOC Foundation for the Environment has awarded Hydrogen Solar Ltd funds to develop and demonstrate a system to produce carbon-free, sustainable hydrogen directly from sunlight and water using the Hydrogen Solar Tandem Cell
In the first phase of the project, Hydrogen Solar will design, build and install a 100 m2 array of Tandem Cells to generate high-purity hydrogen. The BOC Group will provide engineering safety expertise, compression units and engineering support during the installation.
The second phase will be to demonstrate the Tandem Cell array over a six month period at the Beacon Energy Ltd site at West Beacon Farm, Leicestershire. The system will provide hydrogen for fuel cell applications, to provide electricity for recharging electric vehicles, and for heat and power for various buildings.
"We welcome the support of The BOC Foundation. This project will validate the Tandem Cell as a viable, low cost and environmentally friendly method of generating hydrogen for both today’s industrial markets and for the future hydrogen energy economy". - Hydrogen Solar Ltd, chief executive - Dr David Auty
"The BOC Foundation is pleased to support practical demonstrations of renewable small-scale hydrogen production facilities. The Tandem cell is a good example of how hydrogen can be applied and will certainly add to the advancing hydrogen economy". - The BOC Foundation, director – Barry Beecroft
"Economic production of hydrogen from renewables is key in turning the hydrogen energy vision into reality. Projects such as the Tandem Cell are vital stepping stones to the commercial deployment of hydrogen energy". - The BOC Group, global director, sustainable energy – John Carolin
The Tandem Cell shows great promise as a renewable hydrogen production method. We look forward to being able to demonstrate this technology in a real-world application here at West Beacon Farm, and benchmark this with our existing hydrogen production methods. The prospect of a panel on the roof of a house to produce emission-free motoring is a fantastic vision towards a zero carbon society and The BOC Foundation’s foresight is a catalyst for this vision. - Beacon Energy Ltd, director - Professor Tony Marmont
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