The Power of Partnerships
BETTERGY CORP.
Creating catalysts to make clean energy more mobile
Bettergy, an energy materials and nanotechnology company, has developed innovative energy and environmental technologies for over a decade. Through an ongoing partnership with the University at Buffalo, Bettergy developed a one-step process to crack ammonia to produce hydrogen. This technology—utilizing a novel catalyst developed with UB—is a key to the development of on-site, carbon-neutral hydrogen production systems. It will have applications in transportation and industry and will play an important role in the global transition to a hydrogen economy.
How Bettergy collaborates with UB
Accelerates R&D
Licenses Technology
Recruits Talent
Collaborates with Experts
Obtains Funding
CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY
Clean energy’s storage shortfalls
The future of sustainable energy depends on the availability of clean, secure and affordable energy. Hydrogen—used in fuel cell technologies and other mobility and industrial applications—is the key to a carbon-free economy. It can expand the use of renewable power, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is capable of highly efficient energy conversion. However, the current supply of hydrogen poses significant cost, storage and transportation issues. As a result, a safe, low-cost and carbon-free method of producing hydrogen is critical to the development of the hydrogen economy and the reduction of the world’s reliance on fossil fuels.
SOLUTION & OUTCOME
Research breakthroughs in hydrogen production from ammonia
Bettergy sought the opportunity to collaborate with UB faculty member Gang Wu, a leading expert in the catalyst space. Together, Bettergy and UB developed a highly energy-efficient, cost-effective and safe method to use ammonia and convert it to hydrogen. Ammonia has high storage capacity, can be transported and stored as a liquid, and is carbon-free at the point of use. This technology will help overcome issues with hydrogen supply, hastening the development of a supply infrastructure by reducing the capital and operating costs and footprint of on-site hydrogen generation stations while improving energy efficiency.
UB SUPPORT
Continued R&D support for clean energy
The business impact of Bettergy’s partnership with UB has been significant and continues to evolve. UB’s tech transfer team is working to accelerate the commercialization of this critical hydrogen technology and scale up for industrial applications. Bettergy continues to work with UB researchers and UB’s Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics to advance several technologies and intellectual properties with large-scale societal benefit.
The cumulative impact of this ongoing academic-industry partnership has attracted more than $1.5 million in federal funding for Bettergy for this project, as well as funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. UB has also leveraged significant state funding to support further faculty domain expertise and research in catalysts that will ultimately benefit a range of applications in the future.
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When businesses and universities join forces, great impacts result
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