FortisBC Energy Inc. has tapped Vancouver-based VulcanX Energy Corp. to design a new plant in B.C. that will produce hydrogen and solid carbon from natural gas.
VulcanX was spun out of MéridaLabs at the University of British Columbia. It is one of two B.C. companies in the methane pyrolysis space.
VulcanX uses methane pyrolysis to produce both hydrogen and solid carbon from natural gas. Typically, solid carbon from methane pyrolysis can either be sold, as it can have industrial applications, or land-filled as a way of sequestering the carbon.
VulcanX is currently testing its technology at a demonstration facility in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
FortisBC is aiming to build a plant in B.C. that would produce up to one tonne of hydrogen per day. It has selected VulcanX to do the front-end engineering and detailed design for the plant, and is providing VulcanX $2 million through its Clean Growth Innovation Fund.
“We believe that hydrogen has the potential to play a significant role in a lower-carbon energy future and can help meet the energy needs of British Columbians while supporting the goals of the province’s CleanBC strategy,” said Joe Mazza, FortisBC’s vice-president of energy supply and resource development.
