Producing H2 using natural gas and microwave energy
In an episode of H2TechTalk, CEO Andrew Gillis spoke with Tyler Coxe Campbell about the unique qualities of Aurora Hydrogen’s clean hydrogen production method, what drives its low-cost position and the most promising applications of the technology.
Where efficiency meets distributed production
Aurora produces hydrogen without CO2 emissions through a process called methane pyrolysis. In short, Aurora’s technology heats natural gas with microwave energy to produce hydrogen and solid carbon. Compared to other methods of hydrogen production, like steam methane reforming and electrolysis, Aurora's efficiency sets it apart.
Aurora’s method uses microwaves for direct carbon heating, a highly energy-efficient way to break down methane molecules. In contrast, electrolysis requires 80% more energy to break down a water molecule. On top of that efficiency, Aurora’s technology is designed to produce hydrogen at the point of use. This eliminates the high costs of hydrogen transportation, which steam methane reforming requires. Aurora’s efficient and distributed approach is central to its low-cost mission.
Decarbonizing industry and hard-to-electrify sectors
On the podcast, Andrew goes on to discuss Aurora’s focus on two major market applications: industrial decarbonization and decarbonizing traditional chemical fuels. Many industrial operators, including Aurora’s corporate investors Shell, Chevon, and Williams, are committed to reducing their emissions but need a feasible path forward. As it scales to meet industrial demands, Aurora’s technology will be able to power processes like chemical production or steel manufacturing with clean fuel produced right where it’s needed.
Aurora also seeks to decarbonize more traditional chemical fuels, such as diesel, natural gas, and aviation fuel. Distributed clean hydrogen is particularly suited for applications like heavy road freight or marine transportation, where electrification doesn't make sense. But now, hydrogen is too expensive to compete with a fuel like diesel. That’s where Aurora’s laser focus on low cost comes in. With efficient production at the point of use — which removes high transportation costs from the equation — the company aims to be cost competitive or advantageous compared to other chemical fuels.
Listen to the full podcast: https://h2-tech.com/podcasts/2024/05/producing-h-sub-2-sub-using-natural-gas-and-microwave-energy/
In a follow-up article, H2Tech interviewed Andrew about Aurora’s work with the Open Hydrogen Initiative (OHI), a group led by GTI Energy, S&P Global Commodity Insights and National Energy Technology Laboratory. As a technical sponsor and the only methane pyrolysis company in OHI, Aurora provided unique input on OHI’s toolkit to standardize the carbon intensity measurement of hydrogen.
The OHI toolkit can be used across various countries and production technologies, which is critical for establishing a global standard. With hydrogen supply expected to grow by 170% by 2050, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights, a standard measurement tool for carbon intensity is key to unlocking hydrogen's decarbonization potential for energy-intensive sectors.
Read the full story: https://h2-tech.com/news/2024/05-2024/aurora-hydrogen-s-h-sub-2-sub-initiative-and-measuring-carbon-intensity-with-the-open-source-toolkit/