Virent Energy Systems: Liquid Biofuel Fed Hydrogen Generator

Virent Energy Systems: Liquid Biofuel Fed Hydrogen Generator

Technology Review reports that Virent Energy Systems has developed a novel way to generate hydrogen cheaply and cleanly from biomass. Instead of removing hydrogen from natural gas, at high temperatures, a prototype Virent “reformer” is being used to derive hydrogen from liquid fuel such as corn syrup, at relatively low temperatures. “The company is also about to begin work on a $1 million U.S. Navy project to build portable fuel-cell generators. The goal is to make self-contained units capable of producing their own hydrogen from a biomass-derived glycerol solution or even antifreeze”. Virent claims it's able to produce hydrogen for $2-3 per kilogram -- competitive with natural-gas-derived hydrogen.