How does it work?

Based on technology that was jointly developed by ECOtality and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Hydrality stores and delivers hydrogen and potentially eliminates the need for compressed or liquefied hydrogen. Hydrality produces hydrogen using water and a magnesium compound, which when used in the reaction can be salvaged and recycled for repeated use in our system. Unlike petroleum and other carbon-based fuels, magnesium is widely available and accessible through several extraction methods. It is not limited to specific geographical regions and, because the magnesium is recycled, it does not require a continuous supply like oil and other combustion fuels.

The hydrogen from Hydrality process can be released on demand and run through a fuel cell to produce electricity. This electricity can be used to power electrical motors for a variety of applications, including buses, cars, trains, boats, trucks, and residential and commercial buildings. The possibilities are endless. Additionally, Hydrality has the potential to store large quantities of energy from renewable sources, like wind and water, to be used during peak demand periods. By storing off-peak energy from renewable sources that would otherwise go to waste, Hydrality has the ability to increase the use of renewable energy sources in providing clean electricity for the grid.

While hydrogen fuel cells are readily available, the commercial adoption of these technologies is hindered by the inability to produce hydrogen safely, efficiently and economically. Consequently, developments in hydrogen fuel cell technologies have slowed and the technology remains too costly for average consumers. Unless we can find better methods of storing and delivering hydrogen, the realization of a hydrogen economy will remain a distant hope. Only through solving the problems and deficiencies in storage and delivery of hydrogen, will we see the price points of fuel cells and other hydrogen based technologies decrease to levels that are economical for the masses.

ECOtality’s innovative Hydrality technology could be the solution to making these existing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies a practical reality for transportation, remote and back up power, as well as large-scale utility applications. With our Hydrality technology, there is no need for highly pressurized, combustible and leak prone stored hydrogen.

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