US, UK firms partner to study European hydrogen potential

The UK’s Transitus Energy and Phoenix-based Proteum Energy said December 22 they had entered into a letter of intent to explore low-carbon hydrogen development opportunities in the UK, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland and Norway.

The collaboration brings together Transitus’ vision to decarbonise energy production in the North Sea region and Proteum’s proprietary steam non-methane reforming technology (SnMR™) coupled with carbon capture and storage (CCS) to provide low-cost, low-carbon clean hydrogen to the UK and European markets.

“Proteum Energy is excited to join with Transitus to accelerate the UK’s and Europe’s transition to a clean energy economy by reforming natural gas resources from North Sea production into reliable, economical, clean hydrogen,” Proteum CEO Laurence Tree said.

Proteum has developed and operates proprietary modular technology that reforms non-methane hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons into low cost, low carbon intensity hydrogen with CCS. Combining this SnMR™ technology with conventional process modules enables Proteum to scale up hydrogen production from 15 metric tons/day to 150 mt/day or more, depending on site requirements.

Utilising existing gas reserves and infrastructure, the UK and Europe have every opportunity to build a low-carbon energy supply and be on the forefront of decarbonization, the companies said.

“We see the UK as a leading market for the implementation of hydrogen transition technologies and infrastructure,” Tree added. “Our partnership with Transitus enables us to support that effort by producing low carbon blue hydrogen from the UK’s available gas reserves and infrastructure utilising our proprietary SnMR technology.”