Tlou Energy to produce hydrogen in Botswana
Coalbed methane (CBM) developer Tlou Energy is working with fellow Australian company Synergen Met to produce green hydrogen at its Lesedi power project in Botswana, it said on November 11.
“At the Lesedi power project, Tlou and hydrogen technology partner Synergen Met are working on combining large, established natural gas reserves with abundant solar energy to produce green hydrogen, thus providing a complementary range of cleaner and greener power generation options,” the company said.
The prototype hydrogen production unit is being designed, built and tested in Brisbane prior to transportation to Lesedi in the first half of 2022 when production trials will begin.
The successful production of hydrogen and solid carbon products could allow the company to achieve early-stage revenue ahead of gas-to-power revenue under the 10 MW power purchase agreement (PPA). Tlou has secured the PPA with Botswana Power Corp, and power dispatch will help displace existing carbon-intensive power. The construction of transmission lines to connect Lesedi to the existing power grid is expected to be completed in 2023.
Once the prototype arrives at Lesedi it will utilise Tlou’s existing gas flows to produce hydrogen and solid carbon by-products. Net-zero CO2 emissions potential will be achieved following the planned addition of solar PV energy, Tlou said. The company estimates the Lesedi project to hold 252bn ft3 (7.1bn m3) of proven, probable and possible gas reserves.
Tlou and Synergen Met intend to use the hydrogen produced from the prototype to generate electricity and possibly for transport fuel. Solid carbon will be made available for regional consumers that require the product, it said.