AlGalCo develops technology generating hydrogen from water and aluminium

AlGalCo, a hydrogen energy startup that licenses innovations from Purdue University, has emerged as one of the top 10 finalists in the prestigious 16th annual Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC). The startup developed a technology that generates hydrogen from water and aluminium alloy.

"The technology is simple: Users generate hydrogen by adding any type of water to a solid alloy comprised of over 90% common aluminum. Because the spent alloy can be recovered and recycled an indefinite number of times using any form of excess electricity — windmill or solar for example — its capabilities for energy storage are limitless," added Koehler.

The event, set for April 15 during the Society of Automobile Engineers World Congress in Detroit, will showcase cutting-edge developments in the field. CEO Kurt Koehler emphasised the remarkable qualities of AlGalCo's patented technology, noting its scalability, utilisation of renewable and sustainable resources, and capacity to produce significantly fewer harmful emissions than traditional gasoline and diesel combustion methods.

Features and benefits of AlGalCo's technology include:

• It provides power to internal combustion engines either fully or as a supplement, thereby decreasing the need for gasoline and diesel.
• It relies on a wholly renewable and sustainable hydrogen source.
• Its application ranges from portable generators and fuel cells to 5.4-liter V-8 gas-powered fleet vehicles and 15-liter over-the-road diesel trucks.
• It is nearing cost-competitive levels with liquid fuels.
• It removes the necessity for high-pressure storage and transport of hydrogen.

AlGalCo's technology, licensed from the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, was initially discovered by Jerry Woodall and further developed by the AlGalCo team. Woodall, a former researcher at Purdue University's College of Engineering, now holds the Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering position at the University of California, Davis. The intellectual property was safeguarded through the application and receipt of two patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Out of over 1,500 applicants, AlGalCo is among the distinguished finalists of the 16th annual Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC). The competition offers a chance to vie for a portion of the over $300,000 in in-kind business acceleration services and cash awards. The other finalists hail from various locations, including Arlington, Virginia; Champaign, Illinois; Delft, Netherlands; Greenville, South Carolina; Houston, Texas; London, United Kingdom; Munich, Germany; Ramat Gan, Israel; and Seoul, South Korea.

About Hydrogen on Demand by AlGalCo

AlGalCo is in the process of bringing to market a patented technology that produces hydrogen on demand by introducing any type of water to a solid alloy made up of over 90 per cent common aluminium. Initially, this technology is utilised to enhance gasoline-powered engines, with ongoing tests to confirm its applicability for diesel engines. AlGalCo aims to investigate the potential applications of this technology further, envisioning a future where the ability to generate hydrogen on demand from an endlessly available resource could establish it as a compelling alternative to liquid fuels.