The project aims to generate this gas for energy-intensive sectors such as industry and transport.
HyVALUE is an initiative promoted by a joint venture between Tubacex, Novargi and IET Technology that aims to produce hydrogen for sale to energy-intensive industrial and transport sectors, based on a production process that uses the recovery of urban waste. The project, promoted by the companies Novargi and Tubacex in collaboration with the company IET Ecology, seeks to generate high quality hydrogen from an innovative process. “We are committed to an innovative circular business model for the valorisation of urban waste streams that makes it possible to produce high quality hydrogen,” say those responsible for the project.
This innovative project aims to generate hydrogen for both the industrial and transport sectors. Among the various benefits offered by this gas produced by ‘HY Value’ is the possibility of obtaining hydrogen with a more energy-efficient process, as well as boosting the circular economy by using waste from landfills, which also contributes to decarbonising energy-intensive industries. In addition to these advantages, it benefits the expansion of the waste management value chain across Europe.
In addition to the use of municipal solid waste, its technology enables the use of refuse-derived fuels (RDF), waste plastics and biomass, as well as other common municipal waste, such as sewage sludge and automotive waste. “The system is designed to prioritise low-energy, low-temperature processes as much as possible, resulting in high hydrogen production yields in a more energy-efficient process,” HyVALUE says.
HyVALUE has a facility in Vitoria-Gasteiz to “treat 100% of the waste currently destined for landfill”, explain those responsible, who add that this plant “uses a technology that is easily reproducible at other sites within the waste management value chain anywhere in Europe”. One of the main advantages offered by this system is that it manages to reduce 130,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions during its first ten years of operation. “We achieve high purity hydrogen through state-of-the-art gasification technologies,” they say.
The project “is in line with the principles of the circular economy and provides economic and social benefits at the same time“, add the promoters of the initiative. For example, “local industries (especially the metallurgical sector) can benefit from an increased local supply of clean hydrogen that will contribute to their transition to a low-carbon economy, create new green jobs and boost investment in hydrogen-related R&D,” they conclude.