Green hydrogen is a versatile, storable, potentially zero-carbon fuel source that has been hailed as a solution for countries to reach their net zero targets. It produces just heat and water as by-products when burned or used in fuel cells, making it a highly attractive alternative to fossil fuels.

Traditionally, green hydrogen is produced through gas electrolysis, using electricity to split molecules of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. In contrast, the Colorado team’s ‘thermochemical’ approach uses heat generated by solar rays to complete those same chemical reactions.

In the new study, the researchers demonstrated that they can leverage iron-aluminate materials to conduct these reactions at elevated pressures, allowing the team to more than double its production of hydrogen.

The team’s findings could facilitate the first commercially viable method for producing syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that can be converted into fuels such...