US start-up Syzygy Plasmonics says it has began accepting orders for “the world’s first light-powered reactor cell for industrial chemical reactions”, which might crack ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen utilizing ultra-high-performance LED bulbs and proprietary catalysts.

Today, ammonia cracking is an energy-intensive course of, requiring a furnace containing a nickel catalyst to be heated to temperatures of 850-900°C. But Syzygy’s “Rigel” reactor solely requires 12kWh of electrical energy to crack NH₃ into 1kg of H₂ — doubtlessly lowering the price of changing imported inexperienced ammonia again into inexperienced hydrogen, whereas completely eliminating NOx emissions.

Almost all inexperienced hydrogen export tasks goal to ship ammonia reasonably than H₂, as NH₃ incorporates extra hydrogen by quantity than liquefied H₂ and is technically far simpler to move (presuming that the extremely poisonous molecule is safely contained).

But if the tip person desires hydrogen, reasonably than ammonia, it can must be cracked again into H₂ at nice price.

The system works primarily as a result of a response between the catalyst and “plasmonic nanoparticles” (a high-quality powder) which might be additionally launched into the reactor, which kickstarts the cracking course of. “Plasmonic” refers to sure metallic supplies whose electrons get excited when hit with gentle.

The Rigel cell has now accomplished 1,500 hours of testing, producing 200kg of hydrogen per day from ammonia, and the corporate plans to enhance its effectivity to only 10kWh/kgH₂ by the tip of 2026.

“The testing at our Houston facility is going exceptionally well,” mentioned Syzygy CEO Trevor Best. “We’re ready to deliver five-tonnes-of-hydrogen-per-day projects today. In 2025 we’ll be ready for ten-tonne installations, and then for 100-tonne projects in late 2026.

Despite its unusual lack of conventional vowels, the word “syzygy” (pronounced “sizz-uh-jee”) is definitely English in origin, that means a roughly straight-line configuration of three or extra celestial our bodies, such because the earth, solar and moon.

CEO Best beforehand instructed Hydrogen Insight: “For us, it means three things that are shaping the future — so energy, technology and sustainability. Where those three things line up, you get syzygy — that’s kind of the DNA of who we are.”