Decarbonisation Technology February 2026 Issue

In addition to hydrogen generation, the C-Cell yields oxygen at more than 99% purity at pressure, meaning it can potentially be used to feed adjacent refinery processes that benefit from oxygen enrichment, such as steam generation and fired heaters in distillation column reboilers. Reduction in Capex and Opex Use of lye rather than pure water as the electrolyte in the C-Cell enables the electrolyser to operate between 100 and 150°C. The elevated temperature results in higher electrical conductivity of the electrolyte lye and improved reaction kinetics. High-temperature operation also improves the ‘current density’. This means that a smaller electrolyser is required to yield the same amount of hydrogen. The C-Cell has been proven to operate with a current density of 0.6 A/cm² 1.55 volts (specific energy consumption of 41.55 kWh per kg). With a high current density and small stacks, users benefit from both a compact size and reduced materials requirements. These lead to capital cost savings. With an appropriate lye concentration and pressure, operation at up to 200°C may be possible. CRT has plans to validate this hypothesis through its R&D programme. The benefit would be that with waste heat input to sustain the higher temperature, efficiency would be further improved, resulting in reduced power consumption and operating costs. Efficiency in electrochemistry Back to Chiral Energy, electrochemical processes rely on the transfer of electrons. If they spin in random directions, their movement is chaotic. Creating an orderly flow of electrons can be achieved by chirality-induced spin selectivity, or the ‘CISS’ effect. This is a phenomenon where the chirality of a molecule influences the spin of electrons that pass through it. When a chiral molecule is applied to the electrolyser electrode, the spin of the electrons flowing through the electrode is systematically aligned, and they flow smoothly with less friction. The result is less wasted energy and a more efficient conversion of electricity to hydrogen. The term ‘chirality’ is used to describe two physical manifestations of a molecule that has

Figure 3 The two helical screws in a screw compressor are opposite chiral shapes

the same amount of chemical atoms connected in the same way, but the shapes of the two molecules are mirror images of each other and cannot be superimposed. An analogy from the refining industry would be to consider the two helical screws of a screw compressor. Their shapes are similar, but they rotate in opposing directions to compress a gas (see Figure 3 ). In the field of electrochemistry, it can be understood that aligning the rotational direction of electron spin is a downscale of chiral objects, such as a compressor screw. Aligning the spin of electrons is the key to energy-efficient electrolysis. As electrons flow through the Chiral Energy electrode nano-coating, their spin orientation is aligned by the chiral molecules in this layer. When electrons arrive at the catalyst, they can perform their electrochemical reaction more efficiently. Chiral coating and synergy with established catalysts In PEM and alkaline electrolysers, catalysts are used to reduce the amount of energy required to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Electrolyser OEMs and electrode component producers have developed proprietary catalyst formulations that split water with maximum efficiency and maximise the operational life of the electrode (see Figure 4 ). In PEM electrolysers, the use of platinum group metals (PGMs) is common. In alkaline electrolysers, PGMs can be used to enhance the catalytic effect of nickel, an earth-abundant metal. So, making these catalysts more effective means better use of critical raw materials. The Chiral Energy nano-structure electrode coating is an additional layer on top of the conventional catalyst. As such, it works with