Boffins use eggshells to make hydrogen fuel

Greenbang’s seen an amazing amount of things turned into fuels this year, from Patsy’s poo (and milk) to illegal booze. And now another farmyard animal is being harnessed as an energy source–egg shells.

This from ENN:

“The key to making pure hydrogen is separating out the carbon dioxide,” Fan said. “In order to do it very economically, we needed a new way of thinking, a new process scheme.”

That brought them to eggshells, which mostly consist of calcium carbonate — one of nature’s most absorbent materials. It is a common ingredient in calcium supplements and antacids. With heat processing, calcium carbonate becomes calcium oxide, which will then absorb any acidic gas, such as carbon dioxide.

Now if only they could find a way to harness all that stinky cow gas…