Hydrogen from waste is being produced in lab tests.

Researchers at McGill tested aldehyde-assisted electrolysis using a biomass-derived model compound to generate hydrogen; next steps include long-duration durability tests under realistic feed conditions.

Researchers are testing a method to produce hydrogen from waste-derived organic compounds in a laboratory setting. Global hydrogen demand reached almost 100 million tonnes in 2024, with most supply coming from fossil fuels without carbon capture, according to the IEA's 2025 review. The sustainability of hydrogen depends on how it is produced; grey hydrogen from steam methane reforming emits substantial CO2, while water electrolysis produces no CO2 but is energy intensive and costly. The McGill University Electrocatalysis Lab used hydroxymethylfurfural, an organic compound from non-food plant materials, as a model feedstock in their tests of aldehyde-assisted electrolysis. Key facts: - The IEA's Global Hydrogen Review 2025 reports worldwide hydrogen demand rose to almost 100 million tonnes in 2024, a 2% increase from 2023, driven mainly by industrial demand. - Most hydrogen in 2024 was produced from fossil fuels without carbon capture. - Grey hydrogen produced by steam methane reforming emits substantial CO2, while water electrolysis produces no CO2 but is less efficient and requires large amounts of electricity. - Researchers at McGill tested aldehyde-assisted electrolysis using hydroxymethylfurfural, a model compound derived from non-food plant materials such as pulp and paper residue. - The researchers say aldehyde-assisted electrolysis can be decarbonized when powered by low-carbon electricity and biomass-derived feedstocks and could enable integrated, site-specific production linked to existing industrial streams. - Next research steps include extended durability testing from hours to thousands of hours and experiments with realistic industrial feed streams. Summary: If scaled and paired with low-carbon electricity and biomass feedstocks, the aldehyde-assisted approach could create new, site-specific hydrogen production niches that link hydrogen generation with biomass or waste-stream valorization. Researchers plan extended durability testing under continuous operation and trials with realistic feed streams before assessing practical deployment.