Fraunhofer’s new project to generate cheap hydrogen from sunlight

German research organisation Fraunhofer is participating in a project to develop a tendem module that will generate green hydrogen cheaply.

The Neo-PEC project will use the module to photocatalytically split water directly into hydrogen and oxygen.

Fraunhofer said this new technology does not require expensive electrolysers and can be scaled as required.

For the three-year project, €3.4m will be made available to the partners Fraunhofer IKTS, IST and CSP as part of the Fraunhofer internal PREPARE funding program.

The aim of the joint project is to develop a one square meter demonstrator with increased efficiency compared to the current technology.

With the modular construction of the demonstrator, Fraunhofer said it should be possible to realise very large areas in order to create the prerequisites for a decentralised hydrogen supply and need-based further transport.