Production of clean hydrogen from seawater

CIDETEC Surface Engineering drives innovation in durable and efficient electrocatalysts without PGMs, improving seawater electrolysis

SWEETHY is a 4-year project, co-funded by the European Union, which aims to develop an innovative electrolysis cell capable of producing 20 g h-1 of hydrogen directly from seawater.

The project addresses the challenge of processing impure water by harnessing innovative AEMWE (anion exchange membrane water electrolyser) technology and developing new, more durable and cost-effective materials capable of withstanding highly corrosive saline conditions. The developed electrolysis cell will ultimately guarantee more than 2000 hours of operation with a degradation rate of 1% per 100 hours.

The overall sustainability and circularity of the electrolysis platform is ensured by identifying symbiotic solutions in collaboration with external industrial partners for the efficient reuse of electrolysis by-products (brine and other seawater salts as well as heat).

Ultimately, SWEETHY’s work will enable the deployment of remote and distributed hydrogen production using seawater and decentralised renewable energy sources.

Within the project, CIDETEC Surface Engineering will contribute its extensive experience in the development of novel PGM-free electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Its expertise will be essential to select the most suitable materials for membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and to validate the system performance by testing individual cells.

In addition, CIDETEC Surface Engineering will play a key role in electrochemical analysis, evaluating the behaviour of anti-corrosion coatings and their impact on the durability of the electrolyser in high-salt conditions. Its participation will drive significant advances in the efficiency and sustainability of the AEMWE technology, reinforcing the development of innovative solutions for hydrogen production from seawater.

This ambitious project brings together 9 organisations (2 research centres, 4 research and technology centres and 3 small and medium-sized enterprises) in 7 European countries (Sweden, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Norway and the Netherlands).