Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BRINEWORKS (BRINE AND SALTWATER-BASED CARBON REMOVAL INITIATIVE FOR NEUTRALIZING AVIATION AND MARITIME SHIPPING EMISSIONS. A WATER OPTIMIZATION PATHWAY FOR RENEWABLE KEYSTONE SOLUTIONS)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2025-02-01 do 2026-01-31
Today, decarbonization of the shipping and aviation industries via electrification is not a viable option. It is thus essential to scale up the production of e-fuels as chemically-identical substitutes to fossil fuels. This requires abundant, affordable and fully sustainable CO2 and H2 feedstocks, which is not achieved with today's technologies.
Brineworks has developed a breakthrough hybrid electrolysis system that allows high-yield CO2 capture using saltwater, while co-producing green H2 at scale. Our highly efficient design translates to a significant improvement in unit economics in comparison to state-of-the-art electrodialysis where additional revenue streams from green H2 production cannot be leveraged in addition to those from CO2. Based on our validated performance, durability, and material costs, we continue to observe a credible trajectory to <100€/tCO2, in contrast to the ~€200/tCO2 long-term projections for incumbent TRL 9 CO2 capturing technologies from e.g. Carbon Engineering and Climeworks.
The supply of green CO2 is a key component of the e-fuel production chain, and our proprietary electrolyzer will enable e-fuel producers and project developers to affordably generate their two main feedstocks on-site. Our business model combines sales of CO2 and H2 from our demo plant, licensing of the plant design to e-fuel producers, sales of our proprietary electrolyzer, cost of replacement parts and maintenance, and royalties on customer production of CO2 and H2.
Brineworks has developed a breakthrough hybrid electrolysis system that allows high-yield CO2 capture using saltwater, while co-producing green H2 at scale. Our highly efficient design translates to a significant improvement in unit economics in comparison to state-of-the-art electrodialysis where additional revenue streams from green H2 production cannot be leveraged in addition to those from CO2. Based on our validated performance, durability, and material costs, we continue to observe a credible trajectory to <100€/tCO2, in contrast to the ~€200/tCO2 long-term projections for incumbent TRL 9 CO2 capturing technologies from e.g. Carbon Engineering and Climeworks.
The supply of green CO2 is a key component of the e-fuel production chain, and our proprietary electrolyzer will enable e-fuel producers and project developers to affordably generate their two main feedstocks on-site. Our business model combines sales of CO2 and H2 from our demo plant, licensing of the plant design to e-fuel producers, sales of our proprietary electrolyzer, cost of replacement parts and maintenance, and royalties on customer production of CO2 and H2.
On the technical front, the first project year focused on optimizing the electrolysis process , preparing and constructing the pilot plant , and developing a full-stack electrolyzer.
So far, a stable multiple-chamber electrolyzer (ELZ) was successfully (re-)designed, with strong chemical and mechanical robustness, with reduced energy consumption and improved acid and base production efficiency over earlier prototypes. This resulted in a reliable, durable, and scalable ELZ-1 architecture and membrane configuration, establishing clear performance benchmarks, particularly for output-to-energy ratios. Testing of this ELZ configuration as the ELZ-2 class system in the pilot will signal the transition toward TRL 7 and illustrate the CapEx and OpEx optimization pathway.
After team recruitment and equipment procurement, the pilot plant was designed and constructed, including a comprehensive safety philosophy. Electrical pre-commissioning is already completed and the plant is now ready for on-site installation pending permitting approval. Backup locations have also been prepared in case of permit rejection.
The transition from a single-cell ELZ-1 to the multiple-cell ELZ-2 Class stack was successfully completed, assembling a unit with an active area 13 times larger than in ELZ-1, eventually reaching a commercially viable 2,060 cm². The permitting delay is being used to further optimize the baseline design, with the potential to deploy an improved version in the pilot. Assembly, start-up, and shut-down procedures have been established. Commercial gasket and bipolar plate materials were evaluated to minimize energy consumption, and the optimal part configuration was selected. While no major further iterations are required so far, minor optimizations into the future may still reduce CapEx and OpEx.
All of these achievements confirm that Brineworks’s technology is on track to TRL 8 in the context of the project.
So far, a stable multiple-chamber electrolyzer (ELZ) was successfully (re-)designed, with strong chemical and mechanical robustness, with reduced energy consumption and improved acid and base production efficiency over earlier prototypes. This resulted in a reliable, durable, and scalable ELZ-1 architecture and membrane configuration, establishing clear performance benchmarks, particularly for output-to-energy ratios. Testing of this ELZ configuration as the ELZ-2 class system in the pilot will signal the transition toward TRL 7 and illustrate the CapEx and OpEx optimization pathway.
After team recruitment and equipment procurement, the pilot plant was designed and constructed, including a comprehensive safety philosophy. Electrical pre-commissioning is already completed and the plant is now ready for on-site installation pending permitting approval. Backup locations have also been prepared in case of permit rejection.
The transition from a single-cell ELZ-1 to the multiple-cell ELZ-2 Class stack was successfully completed, assembling a unit with an active area 13 times larger than in ELZ-1, eventually reaching a commercially viable 2,060 cm². The permitting delay is being used to further optimize the baseline design, with the potential to deploy an improved version in the pilot. Assembly, start-up, and shut-down procedures have been established. Commercial gasket and bipolar plate materials were evaluated to minimize energy consumption, and the optimal part configuration was selected. While no major further iterations are required so far, minor optimizations into the future may still reduce CapEx and OpEx.
All of these achievements confirm that Brineworks’s technology is on track to TRL 8 in the context of the project.
Brineworks’ technology addresses rising atmospheric CO2 by targeting the aviation and shipping sectors, together accounting for 5% of global emissions. Replacing fossil fuels with e-fuels is essential to decarbonizing these industries and depends on affordable, scalable H2 and CO2 feedstocks. Brineworks meets this need through a new class of electrochemical carbon capture technology using saltwater-based feedstocks in a fully electrified system, solvent-free, modular design enabling flexible siting and close integration with e-fuel producers.
Experimental results including accelerated stress tests, demonstrate the compatibility of our technology with intermittent renewables, avoiding grid firming and fossil backstopping. In addition, the use of low-cost, earth-abundant materials enables ultra-low CapEx, supporting long-term CO2 extraction costs below €100/t compared to €141/t for best-case commercial electrodialysis. The successful development and operation of the electrochemical CO2 capture system therefore demonstrate the technical and future commercial viability of sustainable CO2 and H2 sourcing for fuel producers, enabling faster and more cost-effective decarbonization of the aviation, maritime, power, and heating sectors. Brineworks thus contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals by improving air quality and societal outcomes. CO2 capture reduces atmospheric concentrations and related health impacts, while its use in e-fuels supports the decarbonization of global aviation and shipping.
The 25 t/y pilot will validate cost models with operational data and support scale-up, enabling Brineworks to grow to 150-200 direct jobs within five years. Additional job creation is expected through customers building and operating e-fuel synthesis plants using Brineworks’ technology, requiring up to 15 FTE per 100 kt/y facility.
Experimental results including accelerated stress tests, demonstrate the compatibility of our technology with intermittent renewables, avoiding grid firming and fossil backstopping. In addition, the use of low-cost, earth-abundant materials enables ultra-low CapEx, supporting long-term CO2 extraction costs below €100/t compared to €141/t for best-case commercial electrodialysis. The successful development and operation of the electrochemical CO2 capture system therefore demonstrate the technical and future commercial viability of sustainable CO2 and H2 sourcing for fuel producers, enabling faster and more cost-effective decarbonization of the aviation, maritime, power, and heating sectors. Brineworks thus contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals by improving air quality and societal outcomes. CO2 capture reduces atmospheric concentrations and related health impacts, while its use in e-fuels supports the decarbonization of global aviation and shipping.
The 25 t/y pilot will validate cost models with operational data and support scale-up, enabling Brineworks to grow to 150-200 direct jobs within five years. Additional job creation is expected through customers building and operating e-fuel synthesis plants using Brineworks’ technology, requiring up to 15 FTE per 100 kt/y facility.