Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HYIELD (A novel multi-stage steam gasification and syngas purification demonstration plant for waste to hydrogen conversion)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30
Green hydrogen is receiving increasing interest in Europe as a route to decarbonising many sectors, including energy intensive industry, aviation, and shipping. Whilst significant attention has been paid to the potential to produce green hydrogen from renewable electricity using electrolysis, very significant potential also lies in Europe’s waste streams. Europe produces around 300 million tons each year, with the potential to produce 30 million tons of green hydrogen, three times Europe’s 2030 target for green hydrogen production. Green hydrogen produced from waste and biomass has been proven extensively at laboratory and pilot scale and several large-scale projects are now under development around the world. The Clean Hydrogen Partnership believes waste-to-hydrogen could offer green hydrogen at lower costs (Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH)), potentially below 3€/kg, compared with around 5-6€/kg for electrolysis.
The title of HYIELD is “A novel multi-stage steam gasification and syngas purification demonstration plant for waste to hydrogen conversion”. The project aims to build Europe’s first large-scale waste-to-hydrogen demonstration plant that will produce over 400 tonnes of green hydrogen during the project. Our ambition is to develop a robust and efficiency solution that will pave the way for commercial scale-up and replication across Europe, enabling the closure of landfills and production of low-cost green hydrogen in relevant volumes to help decarbonise sectors such as shipping and heavy industry.
The demonstration plant will utilise WtEnergy Advanced Solutions’ CleanTech gasification technology and H2Site membrane separation reactor and will be implemented a CEMEX cement factory in Spain, where the green hydrogen will be utilised in cement production.
The title of HYIELD is “A novel multi-stage steam gasification and syngas purification demonstration plant for waste to hydrogen conversion”. The project aims to build Europe’s first large-scale waste-to-hydrogen demonstration plant that will produce over 400 tonnes of green hydrogen during the project. Our ambition is to develop a robust and efficiency solution that will pave the way for commercial scale-up and replication across Europe, enabling the closure of landfills and production of low-cost green hydrogen in relevant volumes to help decarbonise sectors such as shipping and heavy industry.
The demonstration plant will utilise WtEnergy Advanced Solutions’ CleanTech gasification technology and H2Site membrane separation reactor and will be implemented a CEMEX cement factory in Spain, where the green hydrogen will be utilised in cement production.
The main activities performed during the period are summarized next:
- The initial process layout in Block flow Diagram (BFD), i.e. the series of operations/unit operations, for the pilot facility and prove the feasibility of the concept has been defined.
- Collecting and describing the specifications for the process both for permit application and for in-depth process modelling for process design, Technical and Economic Assessment (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been collected and described.
- The specifications for properties and technical details that need to be accounted for the simulation of mass and energy balances and the design of the process have been collected and described.
- The preliminary estimate for the energy and material balances have been presented, these are based on the Aspen Plus simulation (primarily gasification part of the process) and expected outcomes from COFE.
- The finalization of the modelling activities in COCO-COFE, a CAPE-open license-free simulation environment, for the replication and design of the HYIELD pilot facility based on the technology provided by WTE.
- Available nearby waste streams, contributing to the plant's operational viability and to the EU's goal of doubling the circular use of materials by 2030 and promote sustainable practices in the region have been identified and classified. A comprehensive mapping of potential waste producers within a 100 km radius around the plant location has been done, with direct contact with identified suppliers to confirm their interest in contributing their waste to the project.
- The initial process layout in Block flow Diagram (BFD), i.e. the series of operations/unit operations, for the pilot facility and prove the feasibility of the concept has been defined.
- Collecting and describing the specifications for the process both for permit application and for in-depth process modelling for process design, Technical and Economic Assessment (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been collected and described.
- The specifications for properties and technical details that need to be accounted for the simulation of mass and energy balances and the design of the process have been collected and described.
- The preliminary estimate for the energy and material balances have been presented, these are based on the Aspen Plus simulation (primarily gasification part of the process) and expected outcomes from COFE.
- The finalization of the modelling activities in COCO-COFE, a CAPE-open license-free simulation environment, for the replication and design of the HYIELD pilot facility based on the technology provided by WTE.
- Available nearby waste streams, contributing to the plant's operational viability and to the EU's goal of doubling the circular use of materials by 2030 and promote sustainable practices in the region have been identified and classified. A comprehensive mapping of potential waste producers within a 100 km radius around the plant location has been done, with direct contact with identified suppliers to confirm their interest in contributing their waste to the project.
- Development and operation of a 3 MW demonstration plant integrated in a cement factory, capable of processing around 3,900 t of dry material and producing up to 650 t of hydrogen. This will be used to validate the scalability of the technology and showcase its integration in energy-intensive industrial environments.
- Proof of concept of a novel staged gasification and syngas purification process enabling the production of high-purity hydrogen from mixed organic wastes. This beyond state-of-the-art activity demonstrates the potential of combining waste valorisation with clean energy generation.
- Assessment of the environmental and economic benefits of waste-to-hydrogen pathways, including significant GHG emission reductions, enhanced resource efficiency and contribution to circular economy. Further research will be needed to expand the sustainability assessment and validate long-term impacts in other industrial sectors.
- Generation of a knowledge base and operational data from the pilot plant that will support market uptake, standardisation, IPR development and potential replication in sectors such as steel, fertilizers, aviation and construction. To ensure broader success, access to finance, supportive regulatory frameworks and internationalisation strategies will be required.
- Proof of concept of a novel staged gasification and syngas purification process enabling the production of high-purity hydrogen from mixed organic wastes. This beyond state-of-the-art activity demonstrates the potential of combining waste valorisation with clean energy generation.
- Assessment of the environmental and economic benefits of waste-to-hydrogen pathways, including significant GHG emission reductions, enhanced resource efficiency and contribution to circular economy. Further research will be needed to expand the sustainability assessment and validate long-term impacts in other industrial sectors.
- Generation of a knowledge base and operational data from the pilot plant that will support market uptake, standardisation, IPR development and potential replication in sectors such as steel, fertilizers, aviation and construction. To ensure broader success, access to finance, supportive regulatory frameworks and internationalisation strategies will be required.