Grant: Alliance Grants

The world is looking to decarbonize transportation and industrial processes, and hydrogen has been identified as an energy carrier with key benefits over electricity in applications where a chemical fuel is desired. Hydrogen plays a vital role in many industrial processes with 70 Mt/yr of hydrogen produced worldwide. At present, hydrogen is primarily made by the steam reforming of natural gas, which results in CO2 emissions. With demand expected to increase dramatically, there is an urgent need to develop new low-cost and low-carbon technologies for hydrogen production. An alternative technology is proposed that uses efficient microwave energy to heat methane in the absence of oxygen and water (pyrolysis) to generate hydrogen and solid carbon with no direct CO2 emissions. The technology is highly scalable and modular, units can be installed anywhere there is natural gas and electricity, and access to H2 and CO2 pipeline infrastructure is not required. The project will involve an extensive bench-scale study designed to develop fundamental knowledge required for successful scale-up and commercialization of the proposed microwave pyrolysis process, and to provide critical design specifications for a pilot plant. Research will be conducted in the areas of reactor, microwave system, and ancillary unit operation design; process analysis and modelling to maximize hydrogen yield and energy efficiency; the role of solid carbon as microwave susceptor and catalyst; and the properties of the carbon product and evaluation of its market potential. Finally, technoeconomic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) will be completed to determine the cost and environmental impact of producing hydrogen by microwave pyrolysis. It is anticipated that the production of hydrogen by the proposed microwave technology could reduce global CO2 emissions by 0.5 Bt/yr. The technology will be commercialized following pilot testing, and will produce a clean and high-value product from Canada's abundant natural resources, resulting in the creation of jobs, investments, tax revenue, and royalties to ensure economic and social prosperity well into the future.