Nu:ionic Technologies Inc. (Nu:ionic) has entered into a memorandum of understanding commercial agreement with Liberty Utilities (Gas New Brunswick) LP (Liberty) for the development of a 2.65 ton-per-day (2.4 tonne-per-day) hydrogen production system using Nu:ionic proprietary microwave catalytic reformers (MCRs). Liberty will use the facility to pilot the blending of hydrogen into natural gas. This is the first commercial application of Nu:ionic’s on-site, on-demand hydrogen production technology using microwave energy to decarbonize natural gas with electrified reforming. According to the company, Nu:ionic’s microwave reformers eliminate the need for fuel combustion, greatly reducing the amount of feedstock required to produce hydrogen and significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also allowing for the use of renewable electricity to reduce the carbon footprint of the natural gas grid.
Nu:ionic’s proprietary process technology will be used to generate low-carbon hydrogen for blending into Liberty’s natural gas distribution system. The MCR design includes a carbon capture system to produce readily transportable liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). Nu:ionic will also provide equipment commissioning, maintenance, and remote monitoring support for the components.
The proposed facility is scheduled to be in operation the first half of 2025. When fully operational, this pilot scale hydrogen blending project is projected to have the GHG capture capacity equivalent to more than 1000 acres (400 ha) of forest.
