For many years, the progressive depletion of fossil resources and growing environmental constraints (global warming) have been leading industrialized countries to explore new energy sources.
Components and systems for tomorrow’s energy solutions
Based on its expertise in chemical syntheses and specialty polymers, Solvay and its partners are developing the materials needed for new sustainable energy solutions like fuel cells, hydrogen storage, photovoltaic cells and new generation batteries to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Fuel cells
Hydrogen, which can be produced from a wide range of primary energies, both fossil and renewable, is set to be a major energy vector of the future.
Fuel cells offer the economically and ecologically optimal technology for converting this hydrogen into electricity. Using a process which is the reverse of water electrolysis, they offer a clean and silent solution for producing electrical energy on demand for a wide range of applications (automotive, portable equipment, emergency or top-up electricity supply, etc.).
Our programme has two cornerstones:
SolviCore – membrane electrode assembly (AME) |
Our Solvay Solexis subsidiary is developing Hyflon® Ion perfluorinated ionomers and membranes for low temperature proton exchange membranes fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DFMC).
The SolviCore joint venture, created in 2006 with leading precious metals group Umicore, is developing MEAs (membrane electrode assemblies) which form the heart of PEMFCs, using Solvay’s expertise in membranes and Umicore’s expertise in catalysts.
|
The SolviCore joint venture supplied Michelin with membrane electrode assemblies for the fuel cell system of the concept vehicle HyLight 2 presented at the Challenge Bibendum (see SolviCore press release) at Shanghai in November 2007.
Solvay and Umicore have decided to mark their commitment to fuel cell technology by sponsoring the Belgian team in the "Formula Zero Championship" competition in which 6 teams of karts driven by fuel cells will compete in races across the globe.
Solvay has also taken its first steps in the field of solid form hydrogen storage with a shareholding in Danish start-up Amminex A/S, which is developing a proposal in the form of ammoniac absorbed onto calcium or magnesium chloride pebbles.
Organic photovoltaics
Layer of photosensitive materials on transparent support (Source: Plextronics)
Organic photovoltaic modules (Source: Plextronics) |
Solar radiation is an inexhaustible energy resource, which can be converted into electricity through fuel cells. 100 000 km² of solar panels, equal to 3% of the Sahara's surface, would be enough to satisfy world demand for electricity. But this technology is still too costly compared with conventional ways of producing electricity.
Complementing its Organic Electronics programs, Solvay is undertaking a research program into organic photovoltaics at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta (USA) aimed at developing new and more efficient organic materials. In the medium term this technology should prove more competitive than silicon-base cells.
Alongside this, Solvay's investment in Plextronics Inc. (USA) is allowing the Group to cooperate closely with a leader in the field of active materials for organic photovoltaic cells.
|
