National Sun Yat-sen University / Professor Yuan-Chung Lin

 Pain Points Solved 

Converting biofuels into green hydrogen can be regarded as one of the key environmental mitigation technologies in line with the national net-zero carbon reduction policy, effectively addressing the following issues:

1. Rice straw is abundant globally, particularly in Asia, helping to reduce agricultural waste while promoting the utilization of renewable energy.
2. Rice straw is a type of lignocellulosic biomass, and its rich cellulose content serves as a source for catalytic conversion into green hydrogen.
3. In the Alkaline Thermal Treatment (ATT) method for hydrogen production, the conventional operating temperature is approximately 600°C. However, by using a self-developed high-efficiency catalyst, the reaction temperature can be lowered to 180–300°C, significantly reducing energy input and consumption, thereby aligning with the goals of the national net-zero carbon reduction policy.

 Technology Introduction 

Biomass absorbs carbon from the atmosphere during its growth, thereby enabling a higher negative carbon emission potential. This study employs the Alkaline Thermal Treatment (ATT) method to convert the carbon captured during biomass reaction into high-purity H₂. By utilizing an efficient self-developed catalyst, the reaction temperature is reduced from a high of 600°C to a range of 180°C–300°C. In addition to reducing energy consumption, the added chemical agents transfer the chemical energy from the neutralization of biomass and alkali into high-purity H₂, while also capturing other acidic gases generated during the biomass conversion process, such as HCl and H₂S.

Our research team achieved a hydrogen production yield of approximately 58–69% using the ATT method. In summary, the carbon from the biomass is fixed in solid inorganic carbonates,resulting in the decarbonization of the produced fuel and achieving net-zero negative carbon emissions from biomass conversion.

 Application Examples 

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 Patent Name and Number 

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 Industry-Academia / Tech Transfer Partner 

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 Honors and Awards  

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 Technical Contact  

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National Sun Yat-sen University
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