Proven Plasma Developer Wins Phase 2 UK Government Funding for Hydrogen Supply Innovation
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Following Strong Results in Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 Competition
4 May 2023, Swindon, UK: Tetronics, a world leader in plasma arc systems focussed on decarbonising challenging industrial processes, is proud to receive a second contract award from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), for phase two of the UK government’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 Competition (HYS2).
The £3.6 million contract for HYS2 phase two follows a successul seven month project to research, design, build and trial a first-of-its-kind Tetronics Hydrogen Plasmolysis (THP) system. That pioneering work demonstrated the benefits of plasma-assisted hydrogen production by achieving high yields with a lower electricity demand than the current electrolysis industrial benchmark.
The phase one trial plant achieved a specific gross energy requirement of 36-40 kWhe/kg hydrogen using a water-based electrolyte. This represents an improvement over commercial Polymer Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells of approximately 40% and suggests that plasma could be instrumental in achieving a competitive, energy efficient, green hydrogen supply solution.
Tetronics believes that further benefits of its THP system – compared with current electrolysis technologies – include significant greenhouse gas reductions, improved competitivity at small and large scale, and smaller physical plant footprint for equivalent hydrogen production.
The primary aim of phase two is to design, build and test a plasmolysis demonstration plant whilst integrating the THP system into wider process units to produce hydrogen of a suitable purity, and Levelised Cost of Production, for end use at a near commercial scale. It will be specified to produce up to 7 kg/h of hydrogen, with a 300 kWe power input, which will be delivered at a comparable scale to commercially available electrolysis plants. The THP plant will be designed to have a longer life cycle of circa 20 years instead of the 7-11 years average for PEM cells. The HYS2 demonstration plant will come on line in the second half of 2024 and, when combined with existing downstream treatment units, will feed a hydrogen burner meeting type 1, grade E, cat A requirements.
Tetronics is the most experienced plasma company in the world; founded on five decades of R&D and 127 patents (granted and pending), with over 20 years of operational expertise, across 97 global reference sites. The majority of these existing applications are in resource recovery from challenging waste streams, including automotive or industrial catalysts, and decarbonisation of heat intensive manufacturing processes – such as steel, glass and cement. World class clients include Harsco, Hitachi-Zosen, Mitsubishi, Nippon Steel and Outokumpu. More recently the company has been researching green hydrogen production using the Tetronics’ Hydrogen Plasmolysis (THP) Technology.
Graeme Rumbol, Chief Executive of Tetronics, says: “We are delighted to have achieved sufficiently strong trial results in phase one of the HYS2 compeition to be selected by DESNZ for a demonstration project under phase two. That trial took plasma-based hydrogen engineering and production beyond the scale achieved by previous groups. It showed that our highly scalable, compact and cost effective THP process offers significant improvements in energy efficiency for green hydrogen production, whilst delivering considerable greenhouse gas reductions.
“Under phase two we look forward to combining Tetronics’ fifty years of plasma expertise with DESNZ’s funding, guidance and contacts to further optimise and refine our proprietary THP process, increase its Technology Readiness Level, and work towards a 1 MW reference plant – while helping to accelerate the UK’s green economy and create significant global exports.”
The HYS2 competition forms part of the Department’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies and processes through the 2020s and 2030s. More specifically, HYS2 aims to catalyse innovative solutions for hydrogen production, storage and transport applications – reducing costs and ensuring that the UK continues to develop world leading technologies for a future hydrogen economy.
UK Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, Lord Callanan, concludes: “Hydrogen, known as the super fuel of the future, is critical to delivering UK energy security and clean, sustainable growth.
“I’m delighted that we have awarded funding to Tetronics so that they can build and test their first-of-a-kind hydrogen technology. This will generate opportunities for UK businesses to export their expertise around the world whilst supporting our ambition to have amongst the cheapest energy in Europe.”
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Editors notes
About Tetronics
Tetronics is a leading environmental technology company with over 55 years’ global experience delivering clean plasma technology for maximum resource recovery, the highest levels of hazardous material destruction, and decarbonisation of heat-intensive industrial processes – such as steel, glass and cement.
Tetronics’ resource recovery process generates an inert, robust and fully vitrified by-product, Plasmarok®, that has a wide range of commercial applications, particularly in construction.
Tetronics’ capabilities encompass everything from initial modelling/feasibility assessment, testing of process material at its own pilot facilities, through to design, supply, site installation/commissioning and ongoing support of full commercial plants.
Tetronics’ 97 reference sites are helping its multi-national clients meet the Net Zero agenda and the company has a strong pipeline of future projects in the relevant disciplines: CO2 reduction; sustainable energy supply; alternative fuels; process electrification; energy and critical mineral security.
About the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will provide dedicated leadership focused on delivering security of energy supply, ensuring properly functioning markets, greater energy efficiency and seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries. The Department is focused on the energy portfolio from the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This includes managing the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio which provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems and aims to decrease the costs of decarbonisation helping enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change
About The Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 Competition
The Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 Competition forms part of DESNZ’ £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies and processes through the 2020s and 2030s. Low carbon hydrogen will be critical for meeting the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. The Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 (HYS2) competition is to support the development of innovative solutions for the supply of hydrogen.
Hydrogen supply solutions include hydrogen production, storage, transport and technologies that could enable a wider hydrogen economy. The competition aims to catalyse innovation in the supply of hydrogen; reducing costs, bringing new solutions to market, and ensuring that the UK continues to develop world leading technologies for a hydrogen economy.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-carbon-hydrogen-supply-2-competition
