MacGyver

Green hydrogen and its derivatives play a central role in the decarbonization of the global energy system and energy-intensive key industries, as well as in the transition of our current energy system to climate neutrality by 2050. This goal involves fundamental scientific, technological, societal, and economic challenges that can only be addressed in a global context. Green hydrogen will play a key role in these transformations. Furthermore, to enable a global green hydrogen economy, efficient and reliable logistics options for the intermediate storage, transport, and distribution of hydrogen must be developed. Given the need for transport over intercontinental distances, the use of liquid hydrogen carriers, such as ammonia, is essential.

With regard to the use of green hydrogen, fuel cells are employed to efficiently convert stored hydrogen into electricity. As the energy transition progresses, fuel cells are becoming increasingly important for optimizing energy systems and increasing their overall flexibility. Furthermore, green hydrogen is being used to transform existing industries such as the semiconductor and energy-intensive steel industries. In addition to using hydrogen as an energy carrier for decarbonizing the energy system, sustainably produced chemicals are essential for the defossilization of key industrial sectors. In this context, green hydrogen is an important reaction intermediate for climate-friendly chemical value chains and enables sustainable process chains within the framework of a circular economy.

The goal of the MacGyver project is to produce green hydrogen from seawater, to use green hydrogen as a hydrogen carrier for the production of ammonia, and to employ green hydrogen for decarbonization and de-fossilization, using the steel industry as a case study. The Jülich Research Centre is responsible for the research work in the area of ​​green hydrogen production from seawater using O^2- and H⁺-SOFCs and anion exchange membrane cells (IET-1). IET-1 is also working on NH₃ re-electrification using solid oxygen-ion conducting fuel cell technology, as well as NH₃ re-electricity conversion using solid proton conduction fuel cell technology, and the development of electrocatalysts and ion exchange membranes for electrochemical CO₂ reduction. The development of a new catalyst for NH₃ cracking under less challenging conditions, as well as the integrated process design for NH₃ cracking and re-electrification, are being carried out at INW-2 and INW-4.

A bilateral R&D approach allows for the exploitation of synergies by combining expertise in materials science and electrochemistry with process engineering and systems engineering. Within the project, Forschungszentrum Jülich collaborates with Fraunhofer UMSICHT, the Fritz Haber Institute, and various universities in Taiwan. This ensures coverage of the full spectrum of relevant competencies, which would not be available through individual efforts by either country.