Utilitas-ReCarbon Organic Waste to Green Hydrogen Technology (Archived)

August 22nd, 2023

As part of the Bundaberg bioHub, fuel-cell grade hydrogen is planned to be produced via plasma dry-reforming of biogas produced from organic waste for initial use in mobile waste collection applications.

Main proponents:

Utilitas Group, ReCarbon Inc., Bundaberg Regional Council

 Main end-use classification:

Initial focus on hydrogen mobility

 Status:

Under development

 Estimated cost:
Other involvement:

 

 Production details: Location:

Queensland, Australia

 Announced funding:

Project description:

As part of the Bundaberg bioHub (opened in October 2020) fuel-cell grade hydrogen is planned to be produced via plasma dry-reforming of biogas produced from organic waste.

The Bundaberg region in Queensland is considered to have considerable waste resources at its disposal through forestry, agriculture, fruit, vegetables, sugar-cane by-products and general waste.

Bioenergy developer, the Utilitas Group, collaborated with the Bundaberg Regional Council to acquire the retired East Bundaberg Wastewater Treatment Plant for repurposing into an industrial park with a focus on renewable natural gas, biomethane and hydrogen production

Initial developments aim to demonstrate applications as they are developed, with an early focus on mobility applications.

The Bundaberg bio-hydrogen waste collection truck initiative under development would involve a technology-based industry supply chain partnership:

  • The Utilitas Group and ReCarbon Inc. would partner to establish a biogas-to-hydrogen facility in the Bundaberg bioHub capable of producing fuel-cell grade hydrogen via plasma dry-reforming of biogas produced from organic waste for heavy-duty mobility applications.
  • The produced hydrogen would be used to supply a hydrogen refuelling station (ownership structure is under evaluation).
  • Initially, two waste collection trucks would use the refuelling facility; on present planning, the trucks would be operated under a full-service lease arrangement between the Bundaberg Regional Council and Hyzon Motors and Superior Pak (the latter being a Bundaberg-based manufacturer of mobile waste collection and compaction equipment). The refuelling station would have the capacity to refuel up to 10 waste collection trucks.

This description is based on a presentation by the Bundaberg Regional Council to the Australian Hydrogen Conference in May 2021.

Archiving note: the ReCarbon website no longer features this project, and a general web search offered no recent information on the project. Archived until/if new information emerges.

 

Reviewed: August 2023