AFC Energy launches Hyamtec Limited to unlock the global hydrogen value chain
- detheridge8
- Sep 19, 2024
- 3 min read
Hyamtec, the UK’s newest hydrogen company, has been launched by AFC Energy to accelerate and commercialise its next generation modular ammonia cracking business.
Hyamtec can make on-site, on-demand hydrogen at just 10% of the cost of truck delivered hydrogen.
Hyamtec will prioritise natural gas displacement in industry and electricity generation, a £40 billion market in the UK alone.
Hyamtec will target three areas:
o Hydrogen rich combustible fuel gas for the decarbonisation of industrial heat generation;
o Ammonia conversion of large combustion engines for power generation, marine and mining; and
o Modular purified hydrogen production for fuel cells and transportation.
Hyamtec is uniquely placed to deliver the technology that can achieve industrial decarbonisation and finally unlock the global hydrogen value chain.
o Dr Mike Rendall, Managing Director of Hyamtec, is a leading developer and scaler of ammonia cracking technologies, with extensive experience in hydrogen generation technologies.
o Supported by AFC Energy’s 30-strong team that has a long list of achievements including developing the UK’s largest pure hydrogen (from ammonia) pilot site in 2023.
Dr. Mike Rendall, Managing Director of Hyamtec Limited, said:
“Hyamtec is focused on fast tracking the decarbonisation of industry through ammonia and our ammonia cracking technologies. With over £40bn spent per annum on natural gas by industrial users in the UK alone, the global opportunity to displace fossil fuels in industry with ammonia is immense.
“The global journey to net zero will require the rapid development of hydrogen-based technologies. We look forward to partnering with industry to support the rapid decarbonisation of the world’s hardest to abate sectors and to announcing Hyamtec’s first commercial deals soon.”
Cracking emissions in hard to abate heavy industries
Over 60% of global emissions come from the hard to abate heavy industrial sectors; such as steel and cement manufacture, mining, chemicals, and power generation, where hydrogen is recognised as the clean fuel solution for decarbonisation. However, hydrogen is difficult to store and transport in these large and industrial quantities and it will take decades to install hydrogen pipelines. Making hydrogen on site from electrolysis not only requires a significant amount of electrical power, but also a significant national grid upgrade. Using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier fuel coupled with Hyamtec’s modular ammonia cracking technology can address all of these barriers in the very near-term.
Ammonia crackers are a key technology that supports the unlocking of a global, cost effective hydrogen value chain.
Hyamtec’s technology
Hyamtec, via AFC Energy, is a pioneering leader in the design and operation of modular and compact ammonia crackers benefiting from years of investment and with a team of industry experts. Dr Mike Rendall, Managing Director of Hyamtec, has decades of experience in commercialising innovative technologies, and in particular designing and developing modular ammonia cracking technology.
The cracker technology has proven ability to integrate with ammonia combustion engines (as a pilot fuel) and to deliver ISO Grade hydrogen for use in fuel cell applications, whether vehicular or across stationary decarbonised power systems.
Why Ammonia?
Ammonia can act as a hydrogen carrier, enabling easier and safer storage and transport of hydrogen, which can then be cracked from ammonia for use in hydrogen applications. It is already the second largest commoditised global chemical, produced in large quantities for agricultural and industrial purposes, meaning much of the infrastructure for its production, storage, and transportation is already in place, de-risked and well understood. This existing infrastructure can be adapted for energy use, reducing the need for entirely new systems.
The move towards greener ammonia is already being driven by the need to decarbonise agriculture, shipping and power generation with renewable ammonia plants on track to dominate new capacity after 2025. It is projected that by 2030, up to 20% of ammonia produced globally will be green ammonia.
Manufacture of low-cost green hydrogen is likely to be in locations where the renewable energy needed to operate electrolysers is plentiful and cheap. To transport hydrogen made in these locations to areas where it is most needed, typically thousands of miles away from the production location, would require it to be moved as a high-density liquid, such as ammonia. This will then require on-site crackers to convert it back to hydrogen at the lowest cost and highest efficiency possible.
Hyamtec can deliver that and provide a solution to unlock industrial decarbonisation at scale.
For further information, please contact:
AFC Energy plc Gary Bullard (Chief Executive Officer)
Hyamtec Ltd Mike Rendall, Managing Director | |
FTI Consulting – PR Advisors Ben Brewerton / Chris Laing / Evie Taylor |
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