Perspective—Electrochemical Gasification: Revisiting an Old Reaction in New Perspective and Turning “Black” Hydrogen to “Blue”

Abstract

Hydrogen is an essential component of the clean energy economy aimed at mitigating climate change. However, fossil fuel-based conventional technologies for hydrogen production require expensive post-separation operations to purify H2 and capture the resulting CO2 emissions. “Green” hydrogen is highly desirable, but renewable energy currently lacks sufficient capacity, reliability, and cost advantage for water electrolysis. This perspective article introduces the novel concept of electrochemical gasification in solid oxide fuel cells, where electricity for electrolysis is replaced with cheaper chemical energy. This scheme turns otherwise “black” (or, brown) hydrogen to “blue” by spontaneous co-production of carbon-free hydrogen, capture-ready CO2 and electrical power.