Integrated process for seawater electrolysis using a PGM-free anion exchange membrane stack

ASTERISK proposes integrating seawater treatment and green hydrogen production using a Platinum Group Metal (PGM)-free anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser. The consortium will work on developing AEM stack components compatible and stable under saline conditions, namely water oxidation and water reduction electrocatalysts, anion exchange ionomers and membranes, porous transport layers and electrical contacts. ASTERISK will incorporate a minimal seawater treatment step before the stack to remove biological, organic and suspended solids content with minimal energy requirements and operating costs, leaving the ions naturally present in seawater to enter the stack. The project will meet the challenging KPIs set by this call and significantly improve upon the degradation rate of <5% over 500h operation leveraging the current experience on materials and membranes design already developed in ongoing projects involving several ASTERISK partners. A final ASTERISK demo will achieve up to 100 gH2/h production on a 5 kWe stack operating for 2000h, to achieve the goal of reaching TRL 4 at project end.

The technical work will be complemented with an eco-design process supported by an environmental and socio-economic analysis to guide the development of a low impact and circular designed AEM device maximising socio-economic benefits. A techno-economic and exploitation plan to move from laboratory scale single-cell to a multi-stack electrolyser will be studied to ensure a fast-track to commercialisation. If successful, ASTERISK will advance cost-effective and sustainable green hydrogen production and contribute to the European Union's long-term carbon neutrality and renewable energy leadership goals.