Author: Jag Singh (Golu Hydrogen Technologies Inc.) - We present Gölu-H₂, a modular thermo-catalytic system that converts renewable ethanol into fuel cell-grade hydrogen, continuous renewable electricity, pure water, and food-grade biogenic CO₂, delivering DAC-equivalent removal without the parasitic energy load. Each 40 ft module produces:
- 1 MW (25 MWh/day) of continuous off-grid power or
- 1.25 t/day hydrogen at 99.999% purity
- 10 t/day atmospheric CO₂ (DAC-equiv. 18–26 MWh/day)
- > 9,000 L/day potable pure water microplastic-free
An example project, considering the purchase & shipping cost of ethanol to Iceland, including the CO₂ emissions of diesel Nova Scotia to Reykjavík, the economics remain compelling. If 275kg of hydrogen is sold per day at cost parity with diesel $12-$15/kg, and the 10 tons of CO₂ captured is valued at CAD $0.25/kWh, then CAPEX and OPEX are fully covered. At this point, 975kg hydrogen remains as excess capacity. This far exceeds the performance and returns of current DAC systems, conventional power generation, or hydrogen fueling models. This model assumes 10t/day of carbon dioxide is being reliably sequestered from atmospherically captured sources through use of ethanol as a carrier.
The Gölu-H₂ process achieves carbon intensities as low as –66 gCO₂e/MJ (GREET model) and overall efficiencies above 100% when CO₂ capture equivalence is included. It uses 98% less water than electrolysis, requires no external heat or grid power, and operates entirely from existing liquid fuel infrastructure. This paper reviews the carbon cycle of ethanol production, transportation and eventual sequestration using Iceland as an example of economics which Gölu-H₂ provides a path to diversify renewable generation, secure exportable clean energy value, and maintain carbon-negative leadership even as hydroelectric reserves decline. By integrating hydrogen production, carbon capture, and potable water generation in a single platform, it offers a resilient, profitable, and scalable clean energy solution.