METAL HYDRIDES FOR HYDROGEN MANAGEMENT

Although renewable energies are designed for distributed energy production, their fluctuations over time require appropriate storage systems. One of the most effective energy storage solutions is the production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis. Green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis can be used to power fuel cell electric vehicles or stationary fuel cells for on-demand electricity production, meeting the needs of end users such as industries, prosumers and energy communities. 

However, technologies that exploit the use of hydrogen require adequate management of this gas, i.e. its purification, compression and storage. To make the hydrogen production–distribution–storage chain competitive, low-cost, high-efficiency systems and technologies capable of managing hydrogen at low temperatures (T) and pressures (p) are required, as well as the ability to exploit waste heat and renewable sources (electrical and thermal) to improve the entire production cycle.

The above-mentioned hydrogen management functions can be achieved using metal hydrides (MH), exploiting their particular ability to absorb gas selectively and reversibly under suitable and favourable conditions (low p and T).