GeekWire recently highlighted a new Seattle-area startup, based in Redmond, WA, that is providing a hydrogen energy storage solution. Co-founders Chris and Sanja Muench were inspired to create the startup after losing power on a scorching summer day.
Launched in 2023, Hyviva harnesses surplus power and stores the energy as hydrogen. Rather than more traditional battery storage, where energy is stored in lithium-ion or other types of batteries, Hyviva’s system turns water into hydrogen. The hydrogen is then turned back into energy via fuel cells when the electricity is needed.
This month, the business is shipping its first devices to customers.
Hyviva is initially targeting residential solar installations, a potentially ripe market as long-standing policies allowing homeowners to sell their unneeded solar power back to utilities are being phased out in many places. That excess power can total 20% or more of a household’s daily energy generation, according to a solar trade group. Stored solar power can also reduce a home’s reliance on utility-provided electricity — which is getting more expensive — and keep the lights on and fridge running during power outages.
The benefit of Hyviva’s technology is that the modular components can be stacked and plugged into another module without the need of a hydrogen expert. Chris Muench said, “Just ‘Lego brick’ them together, and then you decide how much power draw do you want, how much storage do you want, how much hydrogen you want to generate.”
Learn more about Hyviva and their technology here: