Southern California Gas reported that Kore Infrastructure has began testing and demonstrating its carbon-negative, waste-to-energy modular system at the Los Angeles plant of the utility.
The breakthrough system will collect organic waste from California landfills and transform it to carbon-negative hydrogen and renewable natural gas (RNG). These clean fuels could be utilized to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes and sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy-duty transportation.
SoCalGas has already demonstrated how hydrogen derived from RNG might be used to fuel a fleet of public transit vehicles. The efficiency and running expenses of the Kore Infrastructure technology may be determined through testing, as well as the cost-effectiveness of its large-scale deployment. The South Coast Air Quality Management District and SoCalGas each paid $1,500,000 to the demonstration project.
The modular system of Kore utilizes a patented pyrolysis process that converts organic waste into a mixture of gases that can be converted to carbon-negative hydrogen or renewable natural gas (RNG), as well as a solid carbon char that can be used to improve soil quality or decarbonize cement and steel production. The Kore Infrastructure procedure is designed to meet the ultra-low NOx and particle emissions limits of the South Coast AQMD.
Ben J. Benoit, chair of the South Coast AQMD Governing Board, remarked, “This is the type of new solution we need to see more of that employs sustainable procedures.” In addition to diverting waste from landfills, the process will provide clean energy sources for use in fuel cell vehicles and other clean-air technology.
“In California, nearly 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by transportation,” stated Kore Infrastructure CEO and founder Cornelius Shields. “We are cooperating with professionals in the trash, energy, and transportation industries to develop a carbon-negative energy solution made in the United States. Our UltraGreen hydrogen will be the fuel of the future for light-duty vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, and buses, ensuring an emissions-free, sustainable, and cost-effective supply chain.”
Neil Navin, vice president of renewable energy innovations for SoCalGas, said, “SoCalGas will continue to support companies developing novel technology to help achieve carbon neutrality.” The creation of carbon-negative RNG and hydrogen could contribute to energy security and decarbonization throughout California’s energy transition.
By the third quarter of 2022, Kore hopes to demonstrate the generation of 99.999 percent pure hydrogen suited for fuel cell electric automobiles, trucks, buses, and trains. The demonstration facility has the capacity to process up to 24 tons of organic feedstock per day and generate up to one metric ton of carbon-negative, UltraGreen hydrogen per day, which is sufficient for over 1,400 fuel cell electric vehicles.
By converting organic waste into carbon-negative renewable fuel, this demonstration project could help California reduce methane emissions from landfills in accordance with CA Senate Bill 1383. SoCalGas research has demonstrated that clean fuels such as hydrogen and RNG provide the most cost-effective, dependable, and technologically proven path to carbon neutrality.
SoCalGas has more than ten hydrogen pilot projects in operation. SoCalGas submitted various research and development proposals to the Earthshot Hydrogen Program’s Request for Information (RFI) last year. The Earthshot Hydrogen Program aims to expedite and allow low-cost clean hydrogen, create jobs, and promote a net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050.
SoCalGas released its ASPIRE 2045 Sustainability Strategy earlier this year to help achieve its goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and the energy it delivers by 2045. This goal was announced by SoCalGas last year.
