Regarding the fieldwork, at this moment different simple, two-stage or three-stage thermochemical cycles are being researched, which use mixed metallic oxides of low cost such as reagents, and offer the possibility to operate at moderate temperatures (< 500 C). In relation with previous research, the originality and the impact that is expected from the developments that are underway resides in two fundamental aspects: the possible use of abundant solid industrial waste such as reagents, which will contribute to the sustainability and circularity of the economy, and the low temperatures of work, which will result in a greater diversity of usable heat sources, that will open up doors to the conversion of residual heat of numerous industries into a clean fuel of a great energetic value.

In any case, in order for these materials to be subjected to thousands of heating-cooling cycles without losing the properties that allow them to decompose the water molecules to produce hydrogen, their design and optimization require the application of nanotechnologies. The experience and technical and professional resources of the three collaborating entities guarantees the access to this technology and its effective application.

It has to be born in mind that, currently, the production of hydrogen at a large scale is carried out from fossil fuels, which translates into a decrease of neutrality regarding the CO2 emissions. Other processes, like the ones based on biomass, have neither reached complete neutrality, and the direct electrolysis of water still has a low efficiency and a high cost. The usage of thermochemical reactions driven by solar thermal energy or residual industrial heat can be found interesting, that is why the line of research that is now opening up aspires to facilitate the production of clean hydrogen in an integral way.

This project between CIC energiGUNE, the UPV/EHU and Tekniker is financed by the Basque Government through the program Elkartek.