ATCO and UBC collaborate on a pilot project to explore the highly promising potential of methane pyrolysis for decentralized, clean hydrogen production.
Hydrogen is an important component of Canada’s quest for a net-zero future. Its attractiveness lies primarily in its versatility and clean-burning qualities. But large-scale implementation of hydrogen as a low-emission fuel has its challenges. Most of the hydrogen is currently produced using a process called steam methane reforming (SMR). SMR emits significant volumes of CO2 and consumes large quantities of water and energy in the production process. Carbon capture can reduce emissions, but it would also increase the price of hydrogen and it is not 100% effective. Water electrolysis is another common method but it’s costly and can emit even more greenhouse gases than SMR if the electricity used is from non-renewable sources.
Enter methane pyrolysis. It can produce hydrogen from natural gas with low emissions and just one by-product — solid carbon, which is a readily usable industrial commodity. Moreover, process improvements would open the door to the convenience of decentralized hydrogen production as well.
A joint pilot project is setting out to prove the concept and pave the way for potential large-scale production, especially where natural gas is abundant and relatively cheap. Alberta-based gas distributor ATCO Gas and Pipelines is working with a research group from UBC called MéridaLabs to build a methane pyrolysis pilot plant. The project is happening at ATCO’s Fort Saskatchewan site in Alberta and is a mutually beneficial agreement that will help to further industry knowledge on the very promising potential of methane pyrolysis for the decentralized production of hydrogen.
UBC/Mérida Labs are collaborating with ATCO Gas and Pipelines to test the method as a means of creating hydrogen and solid carbon more efficiently and at a lower cost to use or sell for the production of industrial materials. Project funding partners include Alberta Innovates, Natural Resources Canada, NGIF Industry Grants, and the Clean Resource Innovation Network.
The need for readily available low-emission hydrogen, with the potential for decentralized energy production, is a primary driver of the project. The environmental concern promotes the pursuit of production methods like methane pyrolysis, which is currently one of the most promising alternatives for hydrogen production with theoretically zero CO2 emissions. Apart from the reaction itself that produces hydrogen and solid carbon, the energy source chosen used in this endothermic process can also contribute to reducing environmental impacts. Most researchers to date have used non-renewable sources based on fossil fuel combustion or electrical heating. Although not part of this project, concentrated solar energy for example has yet to be investigated for pyrolysis. However, it holds promise for further improvements in hydrogen production sustainability from the method.
Theoretically, the process is fairly simple. Pyrolysis is defined as the decomposition of natural gas at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It’s a departure from traditional hydrogen production methods.
Here’s how it works. Natural gas flows from an incoming pipeline to a device in the plant called a Pyrolysis Reactor. Cooled molten metal moves from the reactor to the Recirculation Tank which is heated by a natural gas burner or electric heaters, before returning as heated molten metal. From there, the resulting hydrogen, solid carbon, and unreacted natural gas are sent to the Product Gas Cooler, where it travels to the Solid Carbon Storage Silo and Dust Filter. The natural gas and hydrogen blends continue travelling on, where they will, for the purpose of the trial, be incinerated. The solid carbon is made available at the Storage Silo and Dust Filter.
The proprietary process can boast several benefits and positive impacts, particularly when compared with traditional methods of producing hydrogen. To produce 1 kg of hydrogen through methane pyrolysis, only 4 kg of methane and 0.042 GJ of process heat are required. This streamlined approach not only optimizes resource usage but also contributes to at least 70% lower CO2 emissions compared to SMR without carbon capture. Methane pyrolysis consumes no water; it reduces the impact on the environment through low-emission hydrogen production since zero CO2 is released by the reaction products; and it produces solid carbon, which can be used in a multitude of other applications like manufacturing tires, construction, paving roads, and as a component of battery electrodes.
Learnings from the pilot project will provide valuable insight into how other, similar projects could be successfully executed at natural gas station sites in the near future. Decentralized hydrogen production could be co-located with existing natural gas stations, allowing hydrogen to be injected into existing distribution networks thus improving accessibility to low-emission fuel sources.
UBC is an ideal partner for the project. “UBC is a global leader in the development of integrated hydrogen energy systems,” says project lead Dr. Walter Mérida, a professor of mechanical engineering at UBC’s faculty of applied science. “It’s very exciting to apply this innovation beyond our provincial borders, effectively extending UBC’s ‘campus as a living lab’ approach in western Canada and potentially beyond.”
Indeed, pyrolysis holds much promise for the future. “Hydrogen is a zero-emission fuel with many uses, and Canada is uniquely positioned to become a global leader in the development of hydrogen technologies and business models to power a low-carbon economy,” says Mérida.
“ATCO Gas and Pipelines delivers safe and reliable natural gas to over 1.3 million customers in Alberta each and every day. We are dedicated to ensuring our customers continue to have access to the energy they need as we push towards a lower-emissions future.”
And it will ensure the benefits of natural gas continue. “ATCO Gas and Pipelines delivers safe and reliable natural gas to over 1.3 million customers in Alberta each and every day. We are dedicated to ensuring our customers continue to have access to the energy they need as we push towards a lower-emissions future,” says Patrick Bain, Director, Hydrogen Projects and Technology Development at ATCO. “Reliable and clean fuels, like hydrogen, will play a massive role in supporting that need for our customers. ATCO Gas and Pipelines has already shown that today’s existing gas distribution network is capable and ready to support the clean energy of tomorrow. This methane pyrolysis pilot plant showcases a potential future of on-demand and decentralized hydrogen production, which can enable a broader reach of customers.”
Its contribution to a clean future fulfilled, the plant will be decommissioned at the end of the project in Q4 2024.
Graham Chandler spent a decade in energy corporate finance and marketing management. As a full-time freelance writer, he has specialized in energy topics for the past 20 years.