South Bay Energy: Saltwater As An Energy Source? It Could Happen Soon

Hydrogen has been considered a potential fuel source for power plants for the longest time. By far, the easiest way to produce hydrogen gas is to separate water into its component oxygen and hydrogen gases, a centuries-old process called electrolysis. You might have tried electrolysis in your high school chemistry class – it requires two electrodes, called an anode and a cathode, connected to a battery. Oxygen comes out of the anode, while the cathode produces hydrogen. However, electrolysis is not a practical solution right now as it requires expensive purified water for best results.

For years, scientists have been trying to tap saltwater, which forms most of planet’s water supply, for electrolysis. Unfortunately, the chloride that occurs naturally in saltwater tends to corrode the electrodes that are used in the process. In fact, an electrode would only last 12 hours in saltwater. A research team from Stanford University, however, seems to have solved the problem of corrosion.

The Stanford team coated an anode with negatively-charged particles. The negative charge repels chloride and protects the anode from corrosion. This way, the life span of an electrolysis unit in saltwater is extended from just 12 hours to up to 1,000 hours, producing hydrogen gas that could be used as a fuel. Unlike other sea-based energy generation methods, electrolysis has very low environmental impact and is not affected by severe weather conditions.

This simple tweak to a high school science experiment has a ton of potential. Not only would it allow energy producers to generate practically unlimited amounts of hydrogen fuel; it could also help deep-sea divers and submarines stay longer underwater, thanks to the oxygen generated by the process. The research team is still developing the technology further, but it won’t be surprising to see it in wide use in the not-so-distant future.