Creating green hydrogen out of bio-waste

The technology is carbon negative and can be produced on-site to further reduce carbon emissions

Spotted: Deloitte’s 2023 analysis of the global potential of the green hydrogen market predicts steady and significant growth, with the market reaching a value of $1.4 trillion (around €1.3 trillion) by 2050. HydGene Renewables is part of that expansion, with the Australian company producing carbon-negative, green hydrogen power from a range of biowaste materials.  

The company simplifies the hydrogen supply chain by producing it on-site and on demand. HydGene’s biocatalyst is extremely efficient, rapidly converting carbohydrates from the waste into hydrogen. It is strong enough to work with materials that are usually toxic to microorganisms, which is what makes the process compatible with any biowaste stream. That makes it an accessible technology for communities that grow and work with crops or waste management.  

The biocatalyst and its supporting infrastructure are modular, and the cartridges are used in multiples to increase the conversion rate. Once set up near an industrial plant or processing centre, the process automatically monitors the amount of hydrogen being produced and slows or speeds up production as needed to ensure that no gas builds up, and that users avoid the need for storage space.  

After the green fuel is produced, the solids are available for use as fertiliser. Because the feedstock is bio-based – and the catalytic process uses microorganisms and fermentation – there are no chemical contaminants or impurities in the end products. The hydrogen can be fed directly into a fuel cell for electricity.  

Having recently closed a A$6 million (around €3.6 million) seed funding round, the company plans to move into a pilot test phase and continue development of the technology with a goal of making overall costs to clients as low as possible.   

The huge potential of hydrogen to transform the energy industry is reflected in the range of innovations in Springwise’s archive that feature it, including an aircraft that takes off and lands vertically for intercity travel, and an artificial intelligence (AI) process that identifies new materials for production of renewables.

Written By: Keely Khoury