Pure Hydrogen, through its investee company Turquoise Group, has produced hydrogen and graphene powder at its commercial demonstration plant in Queensland.
Turquoise hydrogen production contrasts with green hydrogen, which uses electrolyzers powered by renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Instead, turquoise hydrogen involves the controlled decomposition of methane, a process that leverages the potential to produce both hydrogen and valuable by-products such as graphene powder.
The successful test run of the plant in Brisbane highlights its capability to produce graphene powder in bulk, alongside low-cost, zero-emission hydrogen. Pure Hydrogen’s 40% stake in Turquoise Group, secured for a 3.5-year period without dilution, also provides exclusive rights to acquire the produced hydrogen within Australia for 20 years at competitive market prices.
Graphene, a by-product of the turquoise hydrogen process, has a wide range of potential applications due to its unique properties. It is light, strong, and possesses impressive electrical and thermal conductivity. These attributes make graphene suitable for use in batteries, electrical equipment, and as an additive in manufacturing processes, potentially evolving as an alternative to silicon in chips.
The preliminary production of hydrogen and graphene powder suggests the technology’s capability to produce hundreds of kilograms of high-quality graphene daily from a single unit. The expected revenue from graphene sales is anticipated to make the commercial threshold for the system easily attainable.
Further testing will focus on scaling up production and optimizing the consistency of both hydrogen and graphene powder. This step is crucial for validating the commercial viability of the technology and ensuring that it meets market demands.
While the technology is promising, it is essential to contextualize Pure Hydrogen’s achievements against broader industry benchmarks. The hydrogen sector is rapidly evolving, with significant investments in green and blue hydrogen technologies globally. The commercial success of turquoise hydrogen will depend on its ability to compete on cost and scalability while meeting stringent environmental standards.
