Due to its high energy density, hydrogen plays a crucial role in power generation, ensuring continuous energy supply with minimal environmental impact. Its exceptional properties make hydrogen a key element in the transition to environmentally friendly energy sources. However, storing hydrogen poses significant challenges. This is where the Lviv Hydrogen startup, founded by a team of chemists from Lviv University, aims to provide a solution.
The primary goal of Lviv Hydrogen is to develop a hydrogen storage system using one of the latest technologies known as "metal hydrides."
Hydrogen contains three times more energy compared to other energy sources like diesel, gasoline, or fossil fuels. However, its storage remains problematic.
"We are working with an intriguing technology that uses metal alloys to store hydrogen more efficiently than conventional tanks. Our method allows us to store twice as much hydrogen per unit volume, making storage both safe and effective for energy use," explains Nazar Pavliuk, one of the startup's founders, a researcher, and scientific staff member at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Lviv National University named after Ivan Franko.
Unlike traditional tanks, the Lviv researchers' technology ensures safety by using metal alloys as a secure hydrogen carrier, minimizing the risk of explosions.
The relevance of this hydrogen storage development is highlighted by receiving a grant from Seeds of Bravery—a European Union-funded program supporting technological startups under the European Innovation Council (EIC).
The grant funds will be used by the startup to develop a hydrogen storage prototype.