China opened new perspectives for the development of its energy sector at the end of December when one Chinese company successfully tested the world’s first megawatt-level seawater electrolyser for hydrogen production.
“Seawater electrolysis offers advantages over traditional freshwater electrolysis,” engineer Li Zhichuan noted, adding that the system “is designed to utilise surplus electricity generated by offshore wind and solar farms.”
The system’s developer, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)’s spokesperson, described the electrolyser as potential basis for “an environmentally friendly hydrogen-based energy consumption model in marine environments.”
The technology hailed as a key breakthrough can produce up to 200 normal cubic metres of hydrogen per hour with 99.9% purity, according to CNOOC engineer Zhichuan, and its main components are housed in five standard shipping containers.
