Researchers at ETH Zurich have reported a method to “safely and securely” store hydrogen in iron for extended periods.
Located at a pilot plant on ETH Zurich’s Hönggerberg campus in Switzerland, the technology feeds hydrogen into a stainless steel reactor filled with natural iron ore at 400°C. The hydrogen then extracts the oxygen from the iron ore resulting in elemental iron and water.
When energy is needed again in the winter, researchers reverse the process and feed hot steam into the reactor to turn the iron and water back into iron oxide and hydrogen, with the latter converted into electricity or heat in a gas turbine or fuel cell.
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