Summary of Waste-to-Hydrogen: Emerging Source for Clean Mobility Fuel Production
Prepared by Michael Giovanniello, CHBC Fellow
On September 9, CMP Singapore hosted the webinar “Waste-to-Hydrogen: Emerging Source for Clean Mobility Fuel Production.” Jean-Louis Kindler, CEO of waste-to-hydrogen company Ways2H, and Andrew Hagan, Executive Chairman of AJH Emerging Technology Intelligence, joined to discuss the future of waste-to-hydrogen technology. In Kindler’s words, waste “is truly a renewable resource.” With 8 billion tons of plastic on earth and 2 billion tons of mixed waste directed to landfills each year, waste presents a global threat that is acutely felt on a local level. Converting this waste to hydrogen is a promising means to both provide clean hydrogen for mobility and address waste management shortcomings.
Unlike solar or wind, Kindler notes, Ways2H’s systems are predictable and continuous. Furthermore, their small-scale distributed systems can be deployed at a community level to provide decentralized waste-to-energy and improve waste management. The process, which can convert plastics, biomass, sewage, municipal solid waste, medical waste, and other hazardous waste to hydrogen, has been in development for 16 years with four generations of operational units demonstrated in Japan.
A clean and distributed form of hydrogen production could be key to unlocking hydrogen’s potential as a major fuel for transportation. Looking at biomass alone, there is enough energy potential across the United States to supply 120,000 refueling stations—more than the current number of operating gas stations. Kindler states two main reasons for scaling this infrastructure. First, hydrogen is better than batteries for heavy-duty and long-range vehicles, positioning it to be an important component of a decarbonized transportation sector. Second, waste-to-hydrogen does not require electricity, meaning it is possible to scale the technology without dramatically increasing electricity generation. Hagan, whose company Element Two plans to invest 110 million pounds in developing 1,500 H2 pumps by 2030, reiterated the importance of scalability and the large market for waste-to-hydrogen technology.
Distributed waste-to-hydrogen systems also support the development of microgrids. In a state like California, where government and utilities are exploring microgrids to promote resilience during wildfires, hydrogen’s seasonal energy storage capabilities could facilitate this transition. By providing waste management services, waste-to-hydrogen systems make the transition even more attractive to municipalities.
While the technology is rapidly improving, Hagan cautioned against spreading price fallacies and excessive hype. The key to building a large-scale hydrogen economy he argues is to synchronize hydrogen demand and supply. Distributed systems, like Ways2H’s waste-to-hydrogen technology, are an effective complement to large-scale production and will continue to develop as a carbon-neutral energy and mobility solution.