MIT Startup 1s1 Energy Claims 30% Energy Reduction in Green Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen sits at the center of some of the world's most important industrial processes, but its production still comes with a heavy environmental cost. Today, most hydrogen is produced through high-emissions processes like steam methane reforming and coal gasification. But hydrogen can also be made by splitting water molecules using renewable electricity, eliminating fossil fuel emissions and other toxic byproducts. Such "green hydrogen" is made by running an electric current through water in an electrolyzer.

Green hydrogen won't scale through decarbonization alone. It also has to be cost-competitive with the traditional methods of production. 1s1 Energy thinks it has the technology to finally make green hydrogen go mainstream. The company says its boron-based membrane material unlocks previously unachievable performance and durability in electrolyzers. In tests with partners, 1s1 says, electrolyzers with its membranes needed just 70 percent of the energy to produce each kilogram of hydrogen, compared to incumbent devices.

"Green hydrogen has been a hard industry to have success in so far," acknowledges 1s1 co-founder Dan Sobek '88, SM '92, PhD '97. "The difference with us is we've done very targeted customer discovery. We have a very strong value proposition that's not just about decarbonization. We have a pipeline of potential customers that see around a 60 percent reduction in operating costs with our technology. That's a nice point of entry."

Although 1s1 is focused on hydrogen production now, its technology could also be used in fuel cells and solid-state batteries, and to extract critical metals from mining waste. The company is beginning trials in some of those applications, and it is working with a large materials company to scale up production of its membranes for hydrogen production.

"We're at an inflection point for the company," Sobek says. "The plan is, by 2030, to have a solid business in several segments: electrolyzers, mineral extraction, and in collaborations with several large companies. But right now, we have to be judicious and focused."

Improving electrolyzers

Sobek was born and raised in Argentina, but he also grew up at MIT over the course of three degrees and more than a decade. He first studied aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, then jumped to mechanical engineering as a graduate student, then moved to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, where he worked under PhD advisors and MIT professors Martha Gray and Stephen Senturia. His thesis focused on a technique for quickly measuring optical properties of large numbers of biological cells.

"A lot of my learnings around microfabrication and materials chemistry ended up being really relevant for 1s1," Sobek says. "A class that was very important to me was taught by Professor Amar Bose. I was a teaching assistant for him for a couple of semesters, and that had an incredible influence on my thinking."

Following graduation, Sobek worked in microelectronics and microfluidics before founding his own company, Zymera, in 2004. The company developed deep-tissue imaging technology for detecting cancer and other serious diseases. Around 2013, Sobek started talking to his Zymera co-founder, Sukanta Bhattacharyya, about making electrolysis more efficient, focusing on "proton exchange membrane" electrolyzers. Such electrolyzers employ a large amount of electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen ions. At their center is a membrane that can lose efficiency through voltage resistance. On top of the efficiency challenge, electricity is often more expensive than fossil fuels in many parts of the world. Traditional hydrogen production also has the benefit of existing infrastructure, making it that much more difficult for green hydrogen production to scale.

Sobek and Bhattacharyya knew the most important part of such electrolyzers is their proton-conducting membrane, which shuttles hydrogen ions from the anode to the cathode in the electrolyzer's electrochemical cell.

"I asked Sukanta how we could improve the efficiency and durability of that element," Sobek recalls. "He gave me a one-word answer: boron."

Boron can be given a negative charge, which makes hydrogen ions, or protons, bond to it more quickly. The hydrogen ions can then be filtered through the membrane and released as they move through the cell. Boron-based materials are also more stable and resistant to corrosion, further improving the long-term performance of electrolyzers. The company was officially founded in late 2019.

After years of development, today 1s1 attaches a chemically tailored version of boron onto polymer materials to create its membranes for exchanging protons.

"These are first-of-a-kind membranes with stable and durable, super-acid proton exchange groups that do not poison catalysts," Sobek says.

Tiny membranes with big impact

In 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy set a goal for proton exchange membrane electrolysis to achieve 77 percent electrical efficiency by 2031. Sobek says 1s1 is already reaching that milestone in tests.

"It's not just the technology, but the way we're applying it," Sobek says, "We're making hydrogen viable for use in the production of different industrial chemicals."

1s1 is currently conducting pilots with partners, including an electrical utility owned by a large steel company in Brazil. The company is also actively exploring other applications for its technology. Last year, 1s1 announced a project to produce green ammonia with the company Nitrofix through joint funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

It's also working with a large mine in Brazil to extract a material called niobium, which is useful for high-strength steel as well as fast-charging batteries. A similar process could even be used to extract gold.

"We can do that without using harsh chemicals, because the standard processes used to extract niobium and gold use extremely strong acids at high temperatures or extremely toxic chemicals," Sobek says. "It's gratifying for me because my home country of Argentina has had a lot of problems with the use of toxic chemicals to extract gold. We're trying to enable low-cost, responsible mining."

As 1s1 scales its membrane technology, Sobek says the goal is to deploy wherever the technology can improve processes.

"We have a large number of potential customers because this technology is really foundational," Sobek says. "Creating high-impact technologies is always fun."

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Technical Deep Dive: How Boron-Based Membranes Work

The core innovation behind 1s1 Energy's technology lies in the unique properties of boron when incorporated into proton exchange membranes. Traditional proton exchange membranes in electrolyzers typically use materials like Nafion, which have limitations in terms of efficiency and durability.

Boron's effectiveness stems from its ability to form stable, negatively charged sites that attract and facilitate the movement of positively charged hydrogen ions (protons). This creates a more efficient pathway for proton transport through the membrane, reducing the electrical resistance that typically causes energy losses in electrolyzers.

The chemical tailoring process that 1s1 employs involves attaching boron-containing groups to polymer backbones in a way that maintains the mechanical stability of the membrane while optimizing its proton conductivity. This approach addresses a fundamental trade-off in membrane design: highly conductive membranes often sacrifice durability, while durable membranes tend to have lower conductivity.

By using boron's unique chemical properties, 1s1 claims to have achieved both high conductivity and long-term stability, which is crucial for commercial viability. The membranes are designed to operate in the harsh acidic environment of electrolyzers without degrading, maintaining their performance over extended periods.

Market Implications and Industry Context

The hydrogen economy has been a topic of intense interest and investment in recent years, with governments and industries worldwide recognizing hydrogen's potential as a clean energy carrier and industrial feedstock. However, the high cost of green hydrogen production has been a persistent barrier to widespread adoption.

Current green hydrogen production costs typically range from $3 to $6 per kilogram, compared to $1 to $2 per kilogram for hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. For green hydrogen to compete effectively, costs need to fall below $2 per kilogram in most markets.

1s1 Energy's 30 percent energy reduction claim is significant because energy costs typically account for 70 to 80 percent of the total cost of green hydrogen production. A 30 percent reduction in energy consumption could translate to a 20 to 25 percent reduction in overall production costs, potentially bringing green hydrogen much closer to cost parity with conventional methods.

This cost reduction could have far-reaching implications across multiple industries. Steel production, which currently relies heavily on hydrogen derived from fossil fuels, could transition to green hydrogen, dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of one of the world's most carbon-intensive industries. Similarly, ammonia production, which uses hydrogen as a key feedstock, could become significantly cleaner.

The technology also has implications for energy storage. Green hydrogen can serve as a long-duration energy storage medium, helping to balance intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar. More efficient electrolyzers make this application more economically viable.

Challenges and Considerations

While 1s1 Energy's claims are promising, several challenges remain in bringing this technology to commercial scale. The company is still in the pilot phase, and scaling up membrane production while maintaining consistent quality and performance will be critical.

Additionally, the hydrogen production ecosystem involves more than just efficient electrolyzers. The cost and availability of renewable electricity, the infrastructure for hydrogen storage and distribution, and the development of end-use applications all play crucial roles in the economics of green hydrogen.

The company's diversification into other applications like mineral extraction and battery materials is a strategic move that could provide additional revenue streams and help fund the scaling of their core hydrogen technology. However, each of these applications will require its own development and commercialization efforts.

The MIT Connection

The involvement of MIT alumni and the company's roots in MIT research highlight the important role that academic institutions play in driving innovation in clean energy technologies. Sobek's diverse educational background at MIT, spanning aeronautics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, provided him with a multidisciplinary perspective that proved valuable in tackling the complex challenges of hydrogen production.

The company's approach of combining deep technical expertise with practical market considerations reflects a broader trend in cleantech entrepreneurship, where successful ventures increasingly bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and real-world deployment.

As 1s1 Energy moves forward with its pilot programs and scaling efforts, the hydrogen industry will be watching closely. If the company can deliver on its efficiency claims and successfully scale its technology, it could represent a significant breakthrough in making green hydrogen a viable alternative to fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.