Clean Hydrogen from Plastic Waste
May 12, 2020
A Pangea SI Expert shares their experience from visiting a plant where clean hydrogen is being produced from plastic waste.
Innovative companies such as Powerhouse and Waste2tricity have utilised technology that results in the production of clean hydrogen gas from plastic waste, possibly helping solve crucial waste management issue.
The clean hydrogen gas, which can be used as a fuel for both transport and commercial uses, is derived from an incineration process that uses plastic waste as “feedstock”.
The waste to energy demonstrator unit processes plastic (including problematic “black” plastic) by graded incineration at very high temperatures, resulting in conversion into syngas. Hydrogen suitable for use as a fuel for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) can then be easily extracted. Storage of this is relatively straightforward with the use of commercially available canisters.
This type of energy is not renewable, however, this process has the potential to be even cleaner as hydrogen gas itself could be used to power the process. This could especially be suitable for local deployment for example at depots with large HGVs.
With many countries giving commitments towards a zero-carbon economy and decarbonising; this type of technology combines a solution between waste issues with the production of clean fuel, offering a unique proposition.
The demonstrator has few apparent environmental effects as well as it being flexible and scalable. It can also be made in modules which aid in the filtration needed for the plastic feedstock.
“With the regulations regarding landfill tax becoming more stringent as well as air quality and recycling targets becoming more ambitious, technology like this has the potential to solve real-world issues.”
– Speak to this Renewables Consulting Specialist 
Expert Bio:
Expert is currently an independent offshore wind business advisor and trainer with 14 years’ experience in the offshore wind energy industry. Expert has worked on a range of projects including: Global training focusing on de-risking offshore wind; Strategic portfolio troubleshooting for offshore wind and; Business development and bid management for offshore supply chain (including hydrogen).
With 18+ years’ senior level experience within the energy industry, mostly regarding renewables, this Expert understands potential problems and pitfalls, as well as opportunities, offered by schemes and portfolios.
Key roles and experiences also include:
Senior Project Manager for a leading renewable energy specialists’ company
– Management and stakeholder engagement of 1.6GW of nationally significant projects incorporating battery and solar technologies.
Independent renewables consultant
– Communications and reputation management for cleantech sector; represented a company at meetings of the parliamentary sel ect committee for energy.
– Advised on conceptual planning for French offshore wind farms by utilising knowledge of recent advances in offshore construction to identify operational expenditure reductions of up to 20%.
Senior Offshore Project Manager a large energy company
– Project managed a £4bn 690MW offshore wind farm.
– Consented an offshore turbine test facility Scotland.
– Responsible for liaison with government bodies and face to face quarterly reporting.
– Stakeholder engagement with consenting and local authorities, landowners and communities.
– Risk Manager for an offshore Wind Farm.
Senior Renewable Project Manager of an energy company
– Managing the construction of £10m wind power project – built on time and to budget; successful energisation led to a 33% increase in share value.
Climate and Renewables Project Developer for a large energy company
– Managed stakeholders throughout the consenting process for major infrastructure projects.
– Gained investment of £12 million for a wind farm project fr om a large electric utility company.
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The next stage will be a commercial scale project to explore performance in an operational environment and prepare for potential wider deployment; Planning permission was announced for such a multi-million-pound scheme for Ellesmere Port in March 2020.
