A new player in the hydrogen storage market is emerging.
California-based H2MOF, co-founded in 2021 by two renowned scientists Fraser Stoddart and Omar Yaghi, is preparing for a technological breakthrough in the field of hydrogen storage.
Stoddart won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2016 and has received more than 73 global awards and metals. Yaghi is a pioneering inventor and the founder of the reticular chemistry field of science. Both scientists are confident that advancements in storage efficiency and security are imminent.
The scientists told CNBC in a recent video conference that the question of hydrogen production is now “settled” and that the remaining challenge lies in developing a method capable of storing large amounts of the element at low pressures and ambient temperatures.
As the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen is often dubbed the “fuel of the future.” It produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and its only by-product is water. While most hydrogen is still made from natural gas, even cleaner hydrogen from sources like solar or nuclear holds significant promise for decarbonizing a range of industries.
However, efficient storage solutions are crucial to meet the growing demand for hydrogen as a clean energy source. Currently, hydrogen storage methods are costly and energy-intensive. This is where H2MOF’s innovation comes in. The scientists have developed a breakthrough storage solution using advanced molecular materials known as “metal-organic frameworks” (MOFs).
Invented by Professor Omar Yaghi, MOFs are an entirely new class of molecularly engineered materials capable of storing hydrogen in a solid state at room temperature and low pressure. This technology has the potential to dramatically improve storage efficiency and reduce costs, paving the way for the widespread use of clean hydrogen in various industries, including transportation and electricity generation.
The materials are a nod to the startup’s name.
“To utilise hydrogen to the extent that we can decarbonise the energy system…We need transformational technologies rather than incremental improvements on the existing technologies because they’re just not going to fly at the end of the day,” said Magnus Bach, H2MOF’s vice president for business development.
H2MOF is fully financed until commercialization, with support from Revonence Technologies.
Safe, cost-effective, and efficient hydrogen storage solutions are prerequisites to kickstarting the hydrogen economy. Technologies like H2MOF’s that address the hydrogen storage challenge are essential for meeting the world’s energy needs and decarbonization goals.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
