Energy Atlas

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Technologies

Electrolyzer

Hydrogen Production

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A device that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity. Electrolysis was demonstrated in 1800, weeks after Volta announced his pile, and electrolyzers are the key technology for producing hydrogen without fossil fuels: driven by renewable electricity they yield what energy agencies call green hydrogen, the intended feedstock for clean steel, fertilizer and long-duration storage.

Facts
Technology Type
Hydrogen production 1
Invented Year
1800 2
Nicholson and Carlisle electrolyzed water in 1800; industrial water electrolyzers date from around 1900.
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Electrolyzers produce hydrogen rather than consume it; the association is production, not use.

Sources
1. International Energy Agency Official Site
International Energy AgencyView the Source
2. Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source
United States Department of Energy Official Site
US Department of EnergyAssociated With: Fuel Cell, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, Fuel Cells
Quote, Associated With: Fuel Cell, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, Fuel Cells
The protons migrate through the electrolyte to the cathode, where they unite with oxygen and the electrons to produce water and heat.
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