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The hydrogen economy as a crucial technology for replacing fossil resources is subject to high expectations in terms of sustainability. Hardly any other growth area is the subject of such controversial discussions about how ‘green’ it really is. In the context of resources, the hydrogen economy however is about more than just ideological considerations. Electrolysers and fuel cells contain rare and valuable raw materials, such as the precious metals iridium and platinum. From economic and strategic perspectives, they must be recovered after the end of their life. Recycling is a must—and should be considered from the outset, not only when the end of life of the plants and vehicles is reached. But where does the circular economy stand today in the context of hydrogen? We provide an overview using the example of PEM technology.
While hydrogen’s deployment as an energy carrier is only in its infancy, this element already forms the backbone of many different industrial processes around the globe. In order to ensure hydrogen feedstock is handled as efficiently as possible, the ELCH electrochemical research cluster at DHBW Mannheim university is carrying out a pioneering joint project which is looking into hydrogen recycling by means of electrochemical compression. The focus of the EH2C project is on recycling hydrogen that accrues during the production of solar cells and other semiconductors.
