NW Natural – Oregon’s largest gas utility, and Finland-based Hycamite TCD Technologies have signed a letter of intent to explore applications for Hycamite’s novel methane pyrolysis technology to produce and distribute clean hydrogen.
Within NW Natural’s service territory, large natural gas customers could develop facilities that use the novel methane-splitting technology of Hycamite to deliver turquoise hydrogen to supplement or replace natural gas usage. Hycamite would install, commission, operate and maintain the methane pyrolysis units while NW Natural would deliver the natural gas feedstock used to produce the turquoise hydrogen.
Relevant: Rotoboost Turquoise Hydrogen Technology Granted Approval In Principle
“We want to help a variety of industrial customers to decarbonize their production cost-efficiently, and we are ready to scale up the production in North America swiftly,” says Hycamite CEO Laura Rahikka. “We look forward to working with NW Natural to develop opportunities with the utility and its largest natural gas customers.”
Hycamite’s technology involves the production of hydrogen by splitting methane into the elements hydrogen and solid carbon at elevated temperatures. Unlike other carbon capture technologies, the company captures carbon in a clean, solid form in a process that doesn’t release carbon emissions.
The low-emissions hydrogen can be used as either an industrial raw material or fuel. The company’s technology requires only 13% of the energy needed to produce hydrogen via electrolysis. Using a methane feedstock (from geologic natural gas, biomethane or synthetic natural gas) allows production to scale up rapidly.
Additionally, the carbon captured in a solid form is provided to customers as nanocarbon and other industrial-quality products. The carbon byproducts are based on electrically conductive carbon nanoproducts, making them ideal for applications like battery production, supercapacitors, electronics, additives in polymers and composite materials, and concrete manufacturing.
“We’re excited about the potential to lower emissions with clean hydrogen, and we look forward to exploring opportunities for Hycamite’s technology to help deliver carbon reductions for us and our customers,” said Chris Kroeker, NW Natural’s business development lead for hydrogen and carbon capture.
