Green Hydrogen in Australia- HydGene’s Tech Turns Biomass into Green Molecules
Here’s an article posted in Renew Economy.
According to the article,
- Australian start-up HydGene Renewables receives $2M investment from Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC)
- The investment is part of a $6M seed raise, with $2.5M from specialist UK investor Agronomics
- HydGene’s technology uses a Macquarie University engineered biocatalyst to convert biomass into green hydrogen gas
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:
- Biomass Sourcing: Hydgenes Tech begins by sourcing biomass materials, which can include agricultural residues like straw, wood chips, or organic waste from various sources such as municipal solid waste or food processing industries. Australia has abundant biomass resources, including agricultural residues and forestry waste, making it an ideal location for this type of production.
- Feedstock Preparation: The biomass feedstock undergoes preparation to ensure optimal conversion into hydrogen. This can involve shredding, drying, and sometimes preprocessing to remove impurities or increase the efficiency of conversion processes.
- Gasification: Gasification is a key step where the prepared biomass undergoes a thermochemical process in a controlled environment, typically with limited oxygen or steam. This process converts the solid biomass into a gaseous mixture known as syngas, primarily composed of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and traces of other gases such as methane (CH4).
- Syngas Purification: The syngas produced in the gasification step contains impurities like CO2 and sulfur compounds, which need to be removed to obtain high-purity hydrogen. Hydgenes Tech employs various purification techniques such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or membrane separation to separate hydrogen from other gases.
- Water Electrolysis: Once the syngas is purified, the hydrogen-rich stream is then subjected to water electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity used in this step ideally comes from renewable sources such as solar, wind, or hydroelectric power, ensuring the overall process remains environmentally friendly.
- Hydrogen Compression and Storage: The produced hydrogen gas is compressed to increase its density, making it more manageable for transportation and storage. Depending on the application, hydrogen can be stored in various forms such as compressed gas, liquid hydrogen, or in chemical compounds like ammonia.
- Distribution and Utilization: The green hydrogen produced by Hydgenes Tech can be distributed to various end-users and industries, including transportation, industrial processes, and power generation. It can be used directly in fuel cells to produce electricity with zero emissions, or it can be blended with natural gas for use in existing infrastructure, gradually reducing carbon emissions.
Interestingly, we have some other posts related to this content:
Our specialty focus areas include 
- Green Hydrogen Revolution in Australia – Orica Pioneers Orica accelerates two green hydrogen projects in Australia, aiming to substitute natural gas in its production processes, supported by the government’s “hydrogen headstart” program.
- Green Hydrogen In Australia – First Carbon-Neutral Mine: LINE Hydrogen & Blue Cap Team Up LINE Hydrogen and Blue Cap partner to create Australia’s first carbon-neutral mine at Lord Byron Gold Mine, Western Australia, with a green hydrogen production plant.
- Posco’s Green Hydrogen Revolution in Australia Posco plans a $40 billion investment in Australia’s green hydrogen industry to produce low-emission hot briquetted iron
