Raven SR Inc., a renewable fuels company, Chevron New Energies, a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., and Hyzon Motors Inc., a manufacturer of hydrogen vehicles, are collaborating on the commercialization of a green waste-to-hydrogen production facility in Richmond, California. The trio expects production to begin in Q1 2024, and the intention is to supply hydrogen fuel to transportation markets in Northern California.
The three entities have formed a new company, Raven SR S1 LLC, which will be the operator of the facility. Chevron New Energies owns a 50% equity stake in Raven SR S1, Raven SR holds a 30% stake, and Hyzon owns the remaining 20%.
The Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill will provide up to 99 wet tons of green and food waste every day to produce the hydrogen. Using a non-combustion steam/CO2 reforming process, the company expects to produce up to 2,400 metric-tons per year of renewable hydrogen.
The technology is a non-combustion thermal, chemical reductive process that results in hydrogen and Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuels. Unlike other hydrogen production technologies, the company said its steam/CO2 reformation process uses less than half the energy of electrolysis. The combustion process uses no fresh water, which is important in California, given its drought issues, and it is more efficient than conventional hydrogen production and can deliver fuel with low to negative carbon intensity.
Diversion of this organic waste will help fulfill the Organic Waste Reduction mandates of California’s SB 1383, potentially avoiding up to 7,200 metric-tons per year of CO2 emissions from the landfill.
The project is expected to be self-powered as it will produce at least 60% of its own electricity by upgrading the currently permitted and zoned landfill gas electric generators at the landfill for its non-combustion process.
Chevron plans to market its share of the hydrogen in Bay Area and Northern California fueling stations. Hyzon plans to provide refueling for hydrogen fuel cell trucks at a hydrogen hub in Richmond.
“Our strategic partners’ commitment to the first non-combustion Steam/CO2 facility in the world will help drive our commercial operations in Richmond and accelerate similar facilities globally. This facility will be the first hydrogen production plant in the world to reduce greenhouse gases, including critically important short-lived climate pollutants, through its process and its product. By removing waste from the landfill, it will help reduce methane emissions. Not only will the greater Richmond community benefit from reduced emissions, investments, and jobs, it will also see economic benefits as local gas stations have a consistent supply of clean, zero-carbon hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles. We are grateful to work with partners who share our mission to make cleaner fuel options available as soon as possible.” Matt Murdock, CEO of Raven
Chevron and Hyzon were among Raven SR’s initial strategic investors, along with ITOCHU, Ascent Hydrogen Fund and Samsung Ventures.
“We are excited about this collaboration and our expanded commitment to Raven and its waste-to-hydrogen technology,” said Austin Knight, vice president of Hydrogen for Chevron New Energies. “Not only are we positioned to commercialize a first-of-its-kind lower carbon hydrogen project, we are working to reduce emissions in a community in which we have a long and proud history. With a relatively short lead time, we will be able to further develop the hydrogen ecosystem in the region.”
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great news. What is the cost to manufacture and distribute the hydrogen?