Connect with us

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Louisiana company building machines to extract hydrogen power from the air

Published

on

lailluminator.com – Wesley Muller – 2025-02-25 14:22:00

Louisiana company building machines to extract hydrogen power from the air

by Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator
February 25, 2025

Imagine powering military vehicles, industrial machines and buildings with a clean fuel extracted from the air using a portable self-sustaining generator. 

The technology exists right here in Louisiana.

NovaSpark, an energy technology company with locations in West Monroe and Houston received a $25,000 prize this month from the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) competition for developing the world’s first mobile atmospheric hydrogen generator, which takes water out of the air and transforms it to hydrogen on-the-go.

FUEL, a collaboration among companies, universities and state agencies, designs energy innovation competitions funded by the National Sciences Foundation. 

NovaSpark’s mobile hydrogen generator pulls water vapor from the air like a dehumidifier and transforms it into hydrogen using electrolysis, the process of passing an electric current through water to separate its molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The unit can then pump the hydrogen into vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells or storage tanks. It emits no greenhouse gases. 

The energy needed to power the water vapor extractor, electrolysis system and other components comes from a wind turbine and a folding solar panel array that sit atop the unit, all of which fits on a small single-axle trailer. 

In an interview, NovaSpark CEO Rick Harlow said the company began developing the technology about two years ago as part of a U.S. military experiment. The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit asked American startups to come up with new ways to generate fuel in “austere and isolated environments.”

NovaSpark, which counts retired Gen. Glenn Curtiss of the Louisiana National Guard as one of its investors, answered the call and now has contracts to build units for the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force out of its facility in West Monroe. The company is also developing hydrogen systems for high-altitude reconnaissance balloons, vehicles, drones and tactical electronic systems for the military, Harlow said. 

Most military vehicles and aircraft currently use diesel, but the Pentagon is interested in hydrogen power’s stealth capabilities and its high energy density. 

Hydrogen vehicles are electric powered and don’t actually burn hydrogen in the way that a space rocket does. Rather, they have fuel cells, which are tanks containing water and metals. When hydrogen is added, the fuel cells become electrochemical batteries that power an electric motor.

A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is two to three times more efficient than a gasoline or diesel vehicle, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. They are quieter and have a lower heat signature that can make them difficult to detect on thermal targeting systems. 

The concept of pulling water vapor out of the air and turning it into hydrogen fuel has been around for a long time but was never fully developed for various reasons. The fossil fuel industry has long dominated vehicle propulsion, and it wasn’t always economical to produce hydrogen for vehicles. 

Most hydrogen is produced by large industrial facilities burning coal or methane, and it can be very expensive to store and transport. So it’s often most viable to produce hydrogen directly on-site and as needed, Harlow said.

In recent years, the affordability of solar and wind technology made it relatively cost-effective to produce hydrogen on-site with renewable energy. This is especially true for military applications, which can rack up exorbitantly expensive fossil fuel bills. 

Harlow pointed to reports that the Department of Defense ships diesel to some theaters of operation at a cost of $400 per gallon. 

NovaSpark’s mobile generator produces as much as 5 kilograms of hydrogen per day, enough to power a car for about 375 miles. The unit works well in about 90% of the earth’s climate regions with the most challenging being in the coldest and driest areas such as northern Canada, Harlow said. It performs well in desert environments and can actually produce clean drinking water with its vapor extractor, so it has a dual use application, he said. 

The unit can also tap into existing water sources such as rivers and creeks. Troops can pour dirty water into the machine, and it will purify it for drinking and extract the hydrogen for fuel, according to Harlow. 

NovaSpark has two other types of hydrogen generators under development. One is a medium-sized stationary unit suitable as a backup power supply for commercial buildings, and the third is a large 1-megawatt unit that fits on an 18-wheeler trailer.

The company has partnered with several entities, including the Shreveport-based Module Solutions, which specializes in solar arrays and other microgrid components, and is working with experts and researchers from the University of Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech University and Louisiana Clean Fuels. 

Aside from the atmospheric hydrogen generators, part of NovaSpark’s business is building hydrogen fuel cells for drones. When asked about plans for the near future, Harlow said the company is planning to scale up its operations but is still hashing out the details. 

Harlow said he could not discuss the details of some of the contracts but mentioned the Pentagon’s “Replicator” initiative as one area of business. Replicator is an effort that began last year to fast-track the military’s purchasing of thousands of drones to kickstart innovation and compete with China, which currently dominates certain areas of the drone industry.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

SUBSCRIBE

Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

The post Louisiana company building machines to extract hydrogen power from the air appeared first on lailluminator.com

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Jurors view crime scene evidence on Day 3 of Taymor McIntyre’s capital murder trial

Published

on

www.youtube.com – KSAT 12 – 2025-04-03 18:14:36

SUMMARY: On Day 3 of Taymor McIntyre’s capital murder trial, jurors viewed crime scene evidence, including photos and a key 9mm shell casing, related to the 2017 robbery and murder of photographer Mark Salivar. Testimony focused on the investigation’s beginnings, revealing that police found a casing and marijuana at the scene outside a Chick-fil-A. Surveillance footage has been mentioned but not yet shown; it reportedly captures a black car and a struggle with Salivar. Tomorrow, a medical examiner will testify, along with three individuals linked to McIntyre, one of whom took a plea deal. Discussions around McIntyre’s rap career continue to unfold.

YouTube video

Jurors in the capital murder trial of rapper Taymor McIntyre, known as Tay-K-47, viewed key pieces of evidence Thursday, including crime scene photos and a shell casing.

Source

Continue Reading

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Jury deliberations set to begin in monumental oil and gas lawsuit | Louisiana

Published

on

www.thecentersquare.com – By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-03 14:16:00

(The Center Square) – A historic trial that could compel oil and gas companies to pay billions for Louisiana’s coastal wetlands restoration reached its climax this week, with closing arguments delivered Thursday at the Louisiana 25th Judicial District Court in lower Plaquemines Parish. 

The lawsuit, pitting the parish against companies including Chevron USA, Inc., is the first of 42 similar cases filed since 2013 to reach trial, accusing the industry of violating state permitting laws and exacerbating wetlands loss.

Chevron, The Texas Company, Atlantic Richfield Company, ConocoPhillips, and The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company all filed a motion in opposition in 2022 to keep the case in federal court.

After over a decade of legal battles, Plaquemines Parish, led by attorney John Carmouche, is seeking nearly $3 billion in damages. A victory could set a precedent, potentially forcing oil companies to pay tens of billions across all cases — funds legally mandated for coastal restoration. 

The litigation has weathered three attempts by the companies to shift it to federal court, a venue they viewed as advantageous, with the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last affirming its return to state court in October of 2022.

“If somebody causes harm, fix it,” Carmouche said in his opening statement. 

The parish alleges decades of unregulated oilfield activity, including canal dredging, devastated its coastline. 

Chevron says it’s being sued for Texaco’s pre-2001 oil and gas work under a 1980 law not meant to cover earlier activities. It also claims the case belongs in federal court since some work tied to World War II was under federal guidance. Chevron acquired Texaco in 2001.

As the jury prepares to deliberate, the outcome could mark a turning point, potentially delivering unprecedented industry accountability for Louisiana’s fading coast—or a major setback for restoration efforts.

The post Jury deliberations set to begin in monumental oil and gas lawsuit | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Continue Reading

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Reproductive Justice Fund up for another San Antonio City Council vote Thursday

Published

on

www.youtube.com – KSAT 12 – 2025-04-03 06:07:38

SUMMARY: The San Antonio City Council is set to vote on whether to allocate an additional $100,000 to the controversial Reproductive Justice Fund, originally designed to help cover travel costs for women seeking abortions. Although nearly half a million dollars in contracts were approved, none funded travel expenses, prompting renewed calls for more financial support. Some groups, like Beat AIDS Coalition Trust, are cautious about applying again, seeking legal assurances regarding abortion-related funding. Advocates emphasize the urgent need for funding, citing a crisis in Texas where women struggle to access abortion care amid ongoing legal challenges and restrictions.

YouTube video

The San Antonio City Council will vote Thursday morning on whether to put another $100,000 into a controversial health fund.

Source

Continue Reading

Trending