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HyperSolar Announces Major Breakthrough to Lower the Cost of “Green Hydrogen”

HyperSolar demonstrates significant cost reduction by replacing expensive platinum material components with new, low-cost ruthenium/carbon/nitrogen-based hydrogen evolution catalyst

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HyperSolar, Inc. (OTCQB:HYSR), the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, today announced the successful integration of a low-cost hydrogen catalyst into its solar hydrogen production device. A link to the video demonstrating the integration is available here.

HyperSolar approached Professor Jong-Beom Baek and his research group at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea after reviewing “An efficient and pH-universal ruthenium-based catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction," published in Nature Nanotechnology (Vol. 12, Page 441 – 446) in February 2017. Baek and his team developed a catalyst comprised primarily of ruthenium (10 weight %), carbon and nitrogen that can function as well as platinum, the current catalyst used for hydrogen production, but at a 20x reduced cost.

HyperSolar integrated this ruthenium-based catalyst for hydrogen evolution (video link here) with its proprietary low-cost catalyst for oxygen evolution onto a triple junction silicon solar cell.  The HyperSolar device clearly demonstrated the production of copious amounts of hydrogen and oxygen bubbles under water within a minute of exposure to simulated sunlight.

Platinum is currently the best-known catalyst for hydrogen evolution.  However, the price of platinum is very high due to its scarcity and difficult mining process. Using a low-cost catalyst comprised chiefly of earth abundant elements (90% is carbon and nitrogen) to replace platinum will significantly lower the hydrogen production cost, thus resulting in a reduced hydrogen fuel price for consumer and commercial applications. With this breakthrough, HyperSolar’s preliminary techno-economic analysis projects that the levelized cost of hydrogen from Hypersolar’s device could be competitive with current industrial hydrogen made from the steam reforming of natural gas.

“The concept of a hydrogen economy, or even mainstream hydrogen applications, has always been considered the holy grail of clean energy,” said Tim Young, CEO of HyperSolar. “I’m very proud of our team for continuing to hit milestones that bring us closer to commercial viability. By systematically lowering the cost of major components, such as solar cells and catalysts, we believe that the hydrogen economy is possible. Our next steps will be to further explore other properties of the catalyst, such as long-term stability under water with high salinity, as the best fit for our application.”

About HyperSolar, Inc.
HyperSolar is developing a breakthrough, low cost technology to make renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, including seawater and wastewater. Unlike hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, where carbon dioxide and other contaminants are released into the atmosphere when used, hydrogen fuel usage produces pure water as the only byproduct. By optimizing the science of water electrolysis at the nano-level, our low cost nanoparticles mimic photosynthesis to efficiently use sunlight to separate hydrogen from water, to produce environmentally friendly renewable hydrogen. Using our low cost method to produce renewable hydrogen, we intend to enable a world of distributed hydrogen production for renewable electricity and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  To learn more about HyperSolar, please visit our website at www.hypersolar.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein, and while expected, there is no guarantee that we will attain the aforementioned anticipated developmental milestones. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company.

Press Contact:
                    Eric Fischgrund
                    FischTank Marketing and PR 
                    646-699-1414
                    Eric@FischTankPR.com

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