Scientists at the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) at the University of Tokyo have uncovered the role of crystal symmetry in the quantum behavior of hydrogen. The findings will help in the design of a new generation of materials that will shape the next phase of clean energy technologies using hydrogen.
The move away from fossil fuels has seen a rise in renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. Even though countries have invested heavily in these, there are multiple areas where such intermittent energy sources cannot be deployed. Energy generated from wind and solar is great for maintaining the grid and for daily household use, but for heavy-duty industrial applications, an alternative energy source is needed.
Hydrogen is touted as the answer to these problems, since it can be combusted like fossil fuels to generate large amounts of energy but without any carbon emissions. However, being a highly flammable fuel also brings with it safety risks during storage and transportation. If hydrogen is to replace fossil fuels for daily use in passenger vehicles or even for large-scale industrial applications, it needs to be stored and transported in an extremely safe manner.
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