Pull Hydrogen straight from the air

Hydrogen fuel is an attractive candidate for a clean energy source, since it burns very clean. 

But on Earth, Hydrogen is almost always bound up with other elements, and separating it requires a ton of energy.

Researchers have developed a way to harness solar power and the very air around us to produce truly green Hydrogen. 

By pulling water from the air and applying electricity provided by solar panels, they can rend the H₂O molecules, producing pure Hydrogen.

The solution is called a Direct Air Electrolyser. By pulling water from the atmosphere and then using solar-powered electrolysis, the team was able to create Hydrogen 99% pure even in 4% relative humidity.

They use a pair of metal plates that it runs a current across to split the water molecules. But in between those panels is a porous material steeped in a chemical which yoinks moisture from the air. It is estimated to be able to produce 93 litters of Hydrogen per square meter an hour.