H2Pro is an Israeli start-up developing high-efficiency electrolyzers (95%) using an original technology: E-TAC. Unlike conventional electrolyzers, the two half-reactions – hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction– are separated. This eliminates the need for a membrane, which in turn reduces the cost of the installation. The price of the hydrogen produced could fall below €1/kg, making it more competitive than other hydrogen production methods.
H2Pro’s E-TAC electrolysis technology
E-TAC electrolysis consists in separating the two half-reactions of electrolysis. E-TAC stands for Electrochemical and TAC for Thermally-Activated Chemical. It is presented in an article published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy: Dotan, H., Landman, A., Sheehan, S.W. et al. Decoupled hydrogen and oxygen evolution by a two-step electrochemical-chemical cycle for efficient overall water splitting. Nat Energy 4, 786-795 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-019-0462-7
The first reaction is the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER):
4 H20 4 e- => 4 0H- 2 H2
( Ni(OH)2 OH- => NiOOH H2O e- ) x4
This is the electrochemical step. The reaction at the cathode is the one that usually occurs in water electrolysis. However, it takes place at 25°C (the temperature is higher for alkaline electrolysis, 50-80°C), and you’ll notice that the nickel anode is altered by the reaction.
The second reaction, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), will restore the anode. By heating the solution to 95°C, the anode is reduced (=deoxidized) and oxygen is released:
4 NiOOH 2 H2O => 4 Ni(OH) O2
Note that the reaction is purely thermal; there is no current involved.
The cathode can have the same composition as for alkaline electrolysis (=cheap). In their test, H2Pro uses nickel-plated stainless steel. The anode, on the other hand, requires adaptation. They used Ni(OH)2 anodes. Efficiency is said to be 95%, requiring 42kWh to produce 1kg of hydrogen. The only other technology with this efficiency is high-temperature electrolysis, developed by Genvia. What’s more, the process can operate at high pressure. The entrepreneurs estimate that the price of the hydrogen produced could fall below €1/kg.
H2Pro progress and financing
H2Pro’s progress
H2Pro was founded in 2019 in Caesarea, Israel by Talmon Marco, who had previously set up and sold two telecoms companies for $1.1bn. The startup uses research from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. It won Shell’s New Energy Challenge in 2020.
They announced the completion of their first production plant, capable of producing 600MW of electrolisers per year on March 27, 2022.
H2Pro financing rounds
- In March 2021, H2Pro raised $22 million in a Series A2 investment round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), its European subsidiary, IN Venture and Sumitomo Corporation CVC.
- The closing of a $75 million Series B financing round was announced on February 15, 2022. The round was led by Temasek and Horizons Ventures. New investors would also include ArcelorMittal, Yara Growth Ventures and Companhia Siderugica Nacional.
FAQ
How much money has H2Pro raised?
H2Pro has raised a total of $107.2 million.
Where is H2Pro located?
H2Pro is based in Caesarea, Israel.
What is H2Pro’s yield?
In theory, H2Pro’s efficiency is over 95%, enabling it to match high-temperature electrolysis, without the problems associated with the latter’s extreme conditions (>700°C).