Oco, Inc

Formic Acid-based Hydrogen Energy Production and Distribution System the Primary Goal of This Project Is to Develop and Demonstrate at an Industrially Relevant Size an End-to-end Cost-effective High Performance Novel Clean Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Production, Distribution and Dispensing Supply Chain Using Formic Acid as the Liquid Hydrogen Carrier. This Overall Project Objective Will Be Achieved Over Two 12-MONTH Budget Periods With the Following Objectives Organized by Budget Period. Budget Period 1 Achieve Two of the Performance Targets Precisely at Stated Target Values (hydrogen Production Rate of 0.01 KG/HR, Formate Electrolyzer Faradaic Efficiency of 80%) and the Rest of the Performance Targets Within a +/- 20% Variance: 1. Demonstrate the Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Directly Into the Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Form of Formic Acid, at an >85% Purity and at a Production Rate of Approximately 37.5 KG Per Day (H2 Equivalent: 1.4 Kg/day) Using an Industrial-size Height (1.2M) and Width (1.35M) Electrolyzer Cell at a Faradaic Efficiency at or Above 80% for >100 Hours of Operation. the System Includes the Intermediate Production of Formate Which Is Hydrolyzed to Synthesize Formic Acid and to Recycle the Potassium Charge Carrier in the Form of Potassium Bicarbonate. 2. Demonstrate the Generation, Purification, and Release of Hydrogen Gas, From the Decomposition of 85% Purity Formic Acid, at a Rate of 0.01 Kg/hour., at a Purity of > 98.7% for >24 Hours of Operation Using a 10X More Frugal Loading of Catalyst Than Has Been Achieved at Smaller Scale. Budget Period 2 Achieve the Following Performance Targets Within a +/- 10% Variance: 1. Demonstrate the Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Into the Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Form of Formic Acid, at an >85% Purity and at a Production Rate of Approximately 150 KG Per Day (H2 Equivalent: 5.6 Kg/day) Using Four Industrial-size Height (1.2M) and Width (1.35M) Electrolyzer Cells, in a Skid-mounted Module at a Faradaic Efficiency at or Above 80% for >240 Hours of Operation. the System Will Be Engineered and Operated Continuously Including Key Intermediate Processes. 2. Demonstrate the Safe Storage, Handling, and Transport of Formic Using Existing Liquid Hydrocarbon Distribution Infrastructure at Ambient Temperature and Pressure Conditions. 3. Demonstrate the Generation, Purification, and Release of Hydrogen Gas, From the Decomposition of 85 WT.% Formic Acid Produced From the Electrolyzer, at a Rate of 1.0 KG/HR., at a Purity of >99.7% for >24 Hours of Operation.