# 187. Turning Scrap Soda Cans & Coffee To Sustainable Car Fuel

- Show: [The Next Byte Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast)
- Published: 2024-08-13
- Length: 22m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel
- Listen: https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel-MBaDipcm

## Summary

Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss a breakthrough by MIT engineers who developed a method to produce hydrogen fuel using recycled aluminum from soda cans, seawater, and caffeine from coffee grounds. They explain how this process overcomes traditional hydrogen storage and safety issues by generating fuel on demand, achieving a reaction time of five minutes compared to two hours, and producing 1.4 liters of hydrogen per gram of aluminum. The hosts highlight the potential for this technology in marine applications, such as powering a 40-pound reactor on a small boat for 30 days, while noting the current lack of comparative efficiency data against other production methods.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=0) Introduction: Hydrogen vs. Battery EVs and Sponsor Read
- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=183) The Challenges of Hydrogen: Storage, Safety, and Cost
- [7:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=454) MIT's Solution: Aluminum, Seawater, and Caffeine
- [12:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=734) The Discovery Process: From Rare Alloys to Coffee Grounds
- [16:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=961) Prototype Performance and Marine Applications
- [18:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel#t=1127) Pros, Cons, and Missing Efficiency Data

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mouser Electronics (company)
- MIT (company)
- Toyota Mirai (product)
- Gallium indium (material)
- Inimazole (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Reframing Aluminum As a Sustainable Energy Source: Insights from Peter Godart, Co-Founder and CEO of Found Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-09-14-reframing-aluminum-as-a-sustainable-energy-source-insights-from-peter-godart-co) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [The rise of metal fuels](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-08-27-the-rise-of-metal-fuels) (Catalyst)
- [218 - Big news for hydrogen in the USA with Phil Clark and Kevin Wyss](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-10-13-218-big-news-for-hydrogen-in-the-usa-with-phil-clark-and-kevin-wyss) (People of Packaging)
- [279 - Aluminum Tequila Bottles? De Nada!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-08-22-279-aluminum-tequila-bottles-de-nada) (People of Packaging)
- [Ep 213: Not your Grandfather's Grandfather Clock, the Engineering Behind Art, Hydrogen Powered Flight](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2023-04-07-ep-213-not-your-grandfathers-grandfather-clock-the-engineering-behind-art-hydrog) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-08-13-187-turning-scrap-soda-cans-coffee-to-sustainable-car-fuel. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Next Byte Podcast.