World first direct seawater electrolysis floating platform tested successfully in China

(Fujian, China) Chinese scientists have successfully tested its first floating electrolysis pilot platform in offshore Fujian province in June 2023. It’s remarkable as this is also world first direct seawater electrolysis facility and no desalination needed.

image: floating direct seawater electrolysis facility in Fujian, China

Electrolyzers usually require purified water to ensure that the electrodes are not when splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen — and desalination equipment is necessary for green hydrogen projects which use seawater as feedstock. However, Chinese scientists have achieved breakthrough in this field that seawater can be directly utilized for electrolysis.

See our previous post: Chinese scientists achieved breakthrough on seawater electrolysis (substack.com)

Within a month the research result was published, Dongfang Electric Group and the team of Xie Heping team of Shenzhen University/Sichuan University signed an agreement to commercialize this innovation.

Although there is still a long way from pilot facility to industrial scale plant, China has realized the importance of seawater direct electrolysis and dedicated ramping up research and application.