The 63 square metre platform combines a hydrogen production system with a stable offshoresystem. By combining the two components, the researchers created an environmentally friendly floating farm that electrolyses seawater into hydrogen without creating undesirable side effects or pollution.
Xie’s team – the creators of the hydrogen production technology at the core of the platform – first published an article about the process in the peer-reviewed journal Nature in November. Previous projects – such as those in the Netherlands and Germany – have often relied on first desalinating seawater, then using the freshwater for hydrogen production.
Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to make hydrogen by electrolysing seawater directly. The solution offered by Xie’s team earned recognition from the Ministry of Science and Technology as one of China’s top 10 scientific advancements in 2022.