Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have introduced an innovative method to produce hydrogen fuel by using recycled soda cans and seawater—a process that achieves carbon emissions comparable to existing green hydrogen technologies. The technique harnesses a chemical reaction between aluminum and water to generate hydrogen gas, reported Oilprice.com.

Aluminum, when exposed to air, typically forms an oxide layer that halts further reactions. The MIT team overcame this challenge by applying a gallium-indium alloy, which strips away the oxide layer, allowing the metal to react directly with seawater and release hydrogen. Environmentally, the process performs well, producing just 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every kilogram of hydrogen—far lower than the 11 kilograms of CO₂ emitted through conventional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.

The team proposes deploying aluminum pellets, pre-treated with the alloy, to fuelling stations where they can be combined with seawater to generate hydrogen on demand. This system would reduce the need to transport compressed hydrogen gas, cutting costs and improving safety. Each kilogram of hydrogen could potentially power a vehicle for 60 to 100 kilometers.

In addition to hydrogen, the process also yields boehmite—a mineral valuable to the electronics and semiconductor industries—which could help offset production costs. The use of aluminum provides a high energy density per unit volume, meaning that relatively small quantities of aluminum fuel can produce sufficient energy to support hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Currently, the majority of global hydrogen production is classified as ‘gray’, derived from natural gas via steam methane reforming (SMR). This process reacts methane with steam at high temperatures, typically emitting significant carbon dioxide in the process. Alternatives like partial oxidation and autothermal reforming exist but are less common. In total, global hydrogen production generates approximately 900 million tonnes of CO₂ annually—exceeding emissions from the aviation industry.

‘Blue’ hydrogen, another variant, is produced from fossil fuels but includes carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, most captured carbon is used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), especially in regions like the Permian Basin.

Despite growing interest, the hydrogen economy faces major obstacles. Although nearly 1,600 hydrogen plants have been announced worldwide, only 12% have secured customer offtake agreements, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). The steep cost disparity between green and gray hydrogen remains a significant barrier. Green hydrogen, often produced using renewable energy, can cost up to four times more than its fossil fuel-based counterpart.

Project developers and financiers remain cautious. Without committed buyers, developers are hesitant to build production facilities, and banks are unwilling to fund projects with uncertain returns. This mirrors patterns seen in earlier energy infrastructure developments, such as natural gas pipelines, which only proceeded once customer demand was assured.

Policy uncertainty also threatens the sector. Proposed legislation in the U.S.—dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill”—aims to repeal key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including Section 45V tax credits that support low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia projects. If enacted, this could significantly undermine the financial viability of hydrogen ventures involving firms like Plug Power, Air Products & Chemicals, CF Industries, Bia Energy, Clean Hydrogen Works and Monarch Energy.

However, the bill appears to leave carbon capture incentives untouched. This has been welcomed by the fossil fuel industry, which has invested heavily in CCS projects, including ExxonMobil’s latest initiative aimed at reducing emissions from U.S. data centers.

MIT’s breakthrough presents a promising step in hydrogen innovation, offering a potentially scalable and environmentally sound alternative for clean energy production—if the supporting ecosystem of policy, infrastructure and market demand can catch up.

Source:

MIT Turns Soda Cans and Sea Water Into Green Hydrogen | OilPrice.com