Metacon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abwasserverband Kempten (Allgäu) (“AVKE”), based in Kempten, Germany regarding cooperation in the field of local, off-grid green hydrogen production from biogas using wastewater as methane source. A hydrogen centre will be built on the site of AVKE to which Helbio will supply a mid-size HHG hydrogen generator which, after successful approval, will go into operation in the summer of 2023 to produce non-fossil hydrogen from biogas. The biogas is currently used to produce about 800 kW of electricity as well as for heat generation. In the future, part, or all the biogas could be used to produce biomethane and green hydrogen.
In the reforming process enabled by Helbio’s HHG systems, methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) up to one hundred times more climate warming than carbon dioxide, is converted to high-purity green hydrogen with a multitude of application possibilities including clean fuel for cars, buses, and trucks. With the realization of this project, a HHG hydrogen generator for 24/7 continuous operation will be integrated into a professional wastewater treatment plant for the first time. The HHG system earmarked for the project produces about 110 kg of pure hydrogen per day from the locally produced biogas, about 1/5 of the fully scaled up HHG capacity of over 500 kg/day in development. The limited electricity required for system functions such as pumps and control software are provided directly on site as green electricity generated from the biogas. Preparations for the upcoming approval procedure are currently underway and the project is planned to be ready for demonstration by summer 2023.
