According to their press release, Alternate Energy Corporation (AEC) will be producing hydrogen in bulk in a clean and green manner without producing any CO2 emissions. This flies in the face of how hydrogen is typically produced by either reforming natural gas or plugging into the grid to electrolyze water, both of which results in emissions of greenhouse gases.
The process that AEC uses to produce hydrogen involves a chemical reaction and does not require the input of any other outside energy source. CEO Blaine Froats also states that a “valuable commodity by-product” is created with the process.
I spoke with Mr. Froats today about his new methodology for creating clean hydrogen and asked him what chemicals were involved in the process and what this mysterious and valuable by-product is. Mr. Froats stated, “Because of the NDA’s (non-disclosure agreements) we have with our partners I’m not at liberty to say right now”. Though he didn’t name specific chemicals, Mr. Froats did say that the valuable by-product would be useful in the food and drug industry.
Producing hydrogen in large amounts cleanly and greenly will be a boost to the developing hydrogen economy. Critics have argued for years that this cannot be done, so its good to see one more domino fall in the arguments the critics have about why the hydrogen economy will never take root.