Inspired by the photosynthetic processes that plants use to effortlessly harness the power of the Sun to create energy molecules, HyperSolar is developing a novel solar-powered nanoparticle system that mimics photosynthesis to separate hydrogen from water. The free hydrogen can then be reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methane, the primary component in natural gas.
The company’s patent application is entitled, “Photoelectrochemically active heterostructures, methods for their manufacture, and methods and systems for producing desired products.” It discloses the company’s novel low cost manufacturing techniques, nanostructure innovations for high efficiency, and the use of freely available sunlight, waste water and carbon dioxide to produce hydrogen, methane, and other valuable chemical products.
Unlike other approaches to hydrogen and methane production that may require high temperature and high-pressure systems, HyperSolar’s reactions are designed to occur at normal pressure and temperature. This allows for the use of very low cost and very simple reactors, such as a glass vessel or even clear plastic bag. To achieve world scale operation, HyperSolar envisions acres of very inexpensive reactors installed on vacant, non-productive land, producing massive amounts of carbon neutral methane that can be piped into the existing natural gas infrastructure for everyday use in homes, power plants, factories, and vehicles.
