A pilot project in Canada will use methane pyrolysis technology to generate hydrogen, turning CO₂ generated from the process into synthetic graphite that can be sold on the open market for manufacturing or industrial uses.

The project is being funded directly by the partner companies—oil and gas firms FortisBC Energy and Suncor Energy, and technology firm Hazer Group—and by the government of British Columbia’s CleanBC Industry Fund.

The first phase of the project, located at Suncor’s Burrard Terminal site, is now underway including Feed studies and permitting applications. A prototype version of the Hazer hydrogen reactor is expected to be constructed onsite at the Burrard location for testing by the end of 2023. Hazer refers to the technology as the Hazer Process.

“Hydrogen has the potential be a significant part of the future energy mix and is a key part of Suncor’s strategy to be a net-zero greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions company by 2050,” says Kris Smith, Suncor’s executive vice-president of downstream.

“Hydrogen has the potential be a significant part of the future energy mix” Smith, Suncor

The project would be expected to produce up to 2,500t/yr of hydrogen should the pilot continue as a full commercial buildout.

The CleanBC Industry Fund supports new technologies, such as renewables and low-carbon gases, to reduce industrial GHG emissions. The government of British Columbia released a provincial hydrogen strategy in 2021.

The strategy commits to ramping up financial incentives and directly supporting investment in the province’s fledgling hydrogen industry, outlining 63 actions to be undertaken by the provincial government over the short (2020-25), medium (2025-30) and long (2030-50) term. It also establishes a hydrogen office to assist the rapid advancement of projects.

“Hydrogen is critical to our transition to a cleaner, low-carbon energy system. We are supporting innovation like the Hazer Process with [our] hydrogen strategy and CleanBC,” says Bruce Ralston, BC’s minister of energy, mines and low-carbon innovation.

Widening the spectrum

The technology is referred to as “turquoise” hydrogen and has far lower and more easily managed lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with it than blue hydrogen, according to the firms involved.

Other developers of the technology include Monolith, which has received preliminary approval for a $1bn loan from the US Department of Energy to develop a project in Hallam in the US state of Nebraska.

Seattle startup Modern Electron is also developing a form of the technology.

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Author: Tom Young