To this day, 85% of the world’s total energy usage is still being provided by burning fossil fuels. In doing so, dangerous greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate; this is simply not sustainable for us, nor our planet. With the imminent threat of climate change in mind, SinoHyKey was founded to support the global de-carbonization efforts that have taken place in recent years – since our inception in 2017, our goal has been to overcome the technological barriers that are impeding the application of hydrogen energy in our day-to-day lives.
Our Story
THE GOAL
WHY HYDROGEN?
Hydrogen and oxygen – the two chemical species involved in the redox reaction powering a fuel cell – are two of the most plentiful elements in our universe. The only products of this process are electricity and water, making this a clean and safe choice for reliable energy generation; furthermore, the hydrogen fuel cell boasts an exceptional power-to-weight ratio, allowing for flexible, low-cost storage and a wide range of viable applications. We firmly believe that this system, combined with the long-term capabilities of batteries currently on the market, is essential to the success of global electrification.
At the moment, however, hydrogen fuel cells are too costly to see widespread adoption: consumer FC vehicles, for instance, are generally priced two to three times higher than their gas-powered equivalents. In particular, two components – the MEA and CCM – are responsible for about 70% of stack manufacturing costs.
THE SOLUTION
Traditional CCM manufacturing methods cover the entire membrane with an expensive catalyst, only for a sizeable portion to be obstructed from the active area by the MEA frame. Having recognized this, we designed our automated CCM coating process to target only the space that would be exposed to the electrolysis reaction; in doing so, we have reduced costs associated with this step by 30 to 50%. We have also been able to take advantage of economies of scale when purchasing the rare materials that go into our CCMs, thanks to the considerable demand facilitated by our extensive network of partnerships.
The need for clean energy is long overdue. By making the use of hydrogen fuel cells more affordable, we hope to see that this zero-emissions technology comes to replace the fossil fuels of old. For us, and for planet Earth.
