BPH Energy investee company Clean Hydrogen Technologies moves from proof of concept to production

BPH Energy (ASX: BPH) investee company Clean Hydrogen Technologies Corp (CHT) has made a major breakthrough with plans to commercialise its unique hydrogen production technology.

CHT, in which BPH has a 15.6% investment, has successfully moved its hydrogen technology developments from proof of concept to production.

While increased production of hydrogen is viewed globally as a significant step in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, to date most hydrogen producers have been utilising natural gas as the main catalyst for their systems – with the release of CO2 still an issue.

CHT cracks hydrocarbons from natural gas using a process called thermo-catalytic pyrolysis that combines heat, a catalyst and has no oxygen.

In the race to find the right hydrogen-producing formula to meet growing market demand and new environmental standards, numerous levels of hydrogen are being developed including include “green”, “blue” and “turquoise”.

CHT’s process falls into the “turquoise” category.

Zero emissions

With CHT’s carbon composite breakthrough, there are no CO2 emissions from the core process as the carbon becomes solid in the form of a fine black dust-type material, thus rendering natural gas a clean source of two products: “turquoise” hydrogen and solid carbon composite.

In CHT’s case, the carbon composite is made from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and alumina (ceramics).

CNTs have unusual mechanical properties to reinforce their alumina composite, acting as a toughening agent and have a tensile strength greater than steel, conductivity greater than copper and thermal dissipation greater than diamonds.

Lower costs and energy requirements

One of the major concerns for the supporters of hydrogen as an answer to a clean energy future is the prohibitive production costs involved.

A major benefit of the CHT system is that, because of the company’s unique patented catalyst, it uses less energy and requires less cost to produce clean hydrogen.

CHT is now working to expand its carbon composite and hydrogen production as it moves to prove the commercial value of applications.

If successful, there are massive profits to be made with the “turquoise” hydrogen market forecast to reach $220 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate of 214%.