Track 2 Session Details

Philippe Haffner, CEO, Haffner Energy

Cost-effective green energy production while sequestering CO2

The existential threat posed by the impact of global warming calls for the collective reduction of our net greenhouse gas emissions, pioneering green energy production technologies, and the transition to a climate-neutral economy. Haffner Energy, a listed French company, developed and deploys technologies for the generation of green hydrogen and renewable gases simultaneously with carbon capture via the production of biochar. Hynoca® and Synoca® are patented technologies based on the thermolysis of sustainable biomass, game changers for seven main reasons: The solution is ready to be deployed, with a plant in Strasbourg at the heart of Europe Thanks to the co-production of biochar, the hydrogen and gases produced have a negative carbon footprint. The process sequesters 12 kg (net) of CO2 per KG of hydrogen or 360 kg of CO2 per MWh of gas LHV produced. This is independently calculated and certified by EVEA, an entity specializing in product life-cycle-analysis. Biochar is a mature way to capture carbon, and an excellent natural fertilizer which also decreases plant water consumption. The hydrogen and gas produced are already cost-competitive with fossil fuels. The versatility of the process, producing either gas or hydrogen in addition to biochar, provides great flexibility and safety to operators. The technology stimulates local circular economy and job creation. Operation is autonomous and self-sufficient, relying very little on electricity. The process can be operated over 8000 hours per year as it is not dependent on renewable electricity production.

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Tom Hobby, CEO, Yosemite Clean Energy

Yosemite’s Stump-to-Pump Hydrogen Strategy

Yosemite is a bioenergy development company that specializes in transforming farm and forest wood waste into carbon negative green hydrogen and renewable natural gas, providing renewable solutions to California’s transportation and broader energy sectors while reducing risk of wildfire and raising air quality. Biomass-to-hydrogen is often overlooked or minimized as an energy solution but has the opportunity to play a key role in the energy transition. Especially in geographically strategic locations where woody biomass is abundant and water is scarce, biomass to hydrogen can be the most practical technology. 

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As stated by Lawrence Livermore’s Report, Getting to Neutral, “gasifying biomass to make hydrogen fuel and CO2 has the largest promise for CO2 removal at the lowest cost and aligns with the state’s goals on renewable hydrogen.” If we are going to capitalize on this solution, the industry still needs the regulatory atmosphere to catch up with the market, as it is lagging in certain respects, both at a state and federal level. Further, in order to develop the market, the industry has to effectively message the benefits of bio-hydrogen, while clarifying the fallacies surrounding waste management and the bioenergy industry more broadly. 

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Yosemite is also of the philosophy that local – especially rural—communities that source biomass should play a direct role in the transition to renewable hydrogen, and also support the use of carbon negative RNG, and advocates for a bottom-up approach. In an industry dominated by Washington DC, Wall Street, and Sacramento, Yosemite is fighting to involve main street in the hydrogen solution. Not only is this equitable, but it promotes local production and utilization, which is critical when dealing with a molecule that is difficult to store and transport.  Yosemite’s Stump-to-Pump hydrogen strategy is a way to provide rural economic development, energy independence and resiliency, in a triple bottom line way that supports the energy transition.

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Dave Kettner, President & General Counsel, Virent

Are EV’s the Only Option – Let’s Talk Low Carbon (Renewable) Gasoline

Electric vehicles are being positioned as the leading alternative for reducing the carbon footprint of domestic ground transportation. Other options such as low carbon gasoline may provide the opportunity to achieve the same if not a greater impact in a shorter period and without the costs and infrastructure investments required to recognize the benefits of electric vehicles. Virent’s BioForming® process enables the production of low carbon gasoline from bio-based feedstocks and is primed to speed up the transition to low carbon solutions for domestic transportation using the current fueling infrastructure and fleet of cars. BioForming® can use a wide variety of both cellulosic and conventional plant sugars, enabling the production of a renewable gasoline similar to the existing petroleum-derived counterpart, and can be “dropped-in” to the current fueling infrastructure, including today’s pipelines, tanks, pumps and engines of all kinds. The utilization of renewable feedstocks in conjunction with sustainable processing allows for Virent’s low carbon (renewable) gasoline to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of domestic transportation, and in the immediate short term provides a solution to a lower cost option to electric vehicles. EVs or Renewable Gas? Neither is the sole answer. The future of sustainable transportation should include options for both if not more.

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​Andrew White, CEO, CHAR Technologies Ltd.

Renewable Gases & Biocarbon from Biomass with High Temperature Pyrolysis - A Co-Product Model

CHAR Technologies High Temperature Pyrolysis (HTP) process converts low value, residual biomass and wastes into co-products of biocarbon and renewable gases, with an aim to continue to decarbonize for a circular economy. With the co-product model, project revenue and overall project economics can stand, even with a input cost to incoming feedstock. Depending on the feedstock, the biocarbon can either be used to offset fossil coal in heavy industrial applications such as steel making, or can be used as part of a PyCCS (Pyrolysis Carbon Capture & Sequestration) process, sequestering carbon in a solid form while generating saleable carbon credits (CORCs, or Carbon Dioxide Removal Certificates). Likewise, depending on the feedstock, the gases generated via the HTP process can either be optimized to generate a green hydrogen product, or can be processed and upgraded into renewable natural gas. During the presentation, the technology, as well as the various product output opportunities, will be explored in greater detail.