Project description
Sustainable biogenic-waste conversion into pure hydrogen
Current hydrogen production methods, including steam methane reforming and coal gasification, rely on fossil fuels or are too expensive and energy-intensive. None recovers solid carbon as a valuable by-product. Europe needs sustainable and cost-effective hydrogen and carbon solutions to address climate change and rising energy demand. The EU-funded PYRAH2 project will create a platform that converts biogenic waste and renewable gases into high-purity hydrogen and solid carbon. Using a four-stage process, it will produce zero-emission hydrogen while achieving over 90 % carbon recovery. The project will test the outputs in tyre and steel production. A pilot plant will be built at the HyChem site, supporting Europe’s sustainability goals and providing a competitive hydrogen production solution.
Objective
The PYRAH2 project tackles Europe’s need for sustainable and cost-effective hydrogen and carbon-based products, amid climate change and increasing energy demand. Existing hydrogen production methods — like steam methane reforming, coal gasification, and water electrolysis — depend on fossil fuels or are too costly and energy-intensive, and none recover solid carbon as a valuable co-product.
PYRAH2 offers an integrated platform that converts biogenic waste and renewable gases into high-purity hydrogen and solid carbon through a four-stage process: autothermal gasification and syngas conditioning, syngas biomethanation, CO2 separation, and plasma-assisted methane pyrolysis. This process transforms diverse organic waste into bioproducts and carbon-negative energy carriers, surpassing current technologies.
The process is based on technologies developed by leading EU startups (WtE, Terrawatt, Plenesys) and world-class research teams at Polimilano and DTU, covering all steps from biowaste valorization to biomethane splitting with high-pressure plasma at 1200°C. It produces zero-emission hydrogen and solid carbon, avoiding 9 to 14 kg CO2 per kg of H2. This route achieves over 90% carbon recovery, converting solid carbon into an industrial product, reducing waste, and improving economic viability. Industrial partners like GoodYear and ArcelorMittal will test this output in tyre and steel production.
In order to ensure TRL advancement from 5 to 7, a full-scale pilot will be built at the site of chemical industry HyChem, with bioenergy-specialized EPC company Necta leading the plant assembling and commissioning. The PYRAH2 valorisation pathway is fully aligned with Europe’s policy objectives on sustainability and competitiveness, including RED III, the EU Hydrogen Strategy and the Fit for 55 package. It provides a circular, scalable, and competitive solution for advancing a sustainable model of hydrogen production.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels fossil energy coal
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry aliphatic compounds
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-JU-IA - HORIZON JU Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
42320 LANGA DE DUERO
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.