SEVEN, a startup founded in 2017 in Montpellier to promote the production & distribution of green fuels in a short circuit, announces the imminent industrialization of its VaBHyoGaz prototype, a method for producing BioH2 from biogas.
Biogas from wastewater treatment sludge is already supplied to hydrogen-powered utility vehicles in the metropolitan region of Toulon by Veolia. This circular economy concept is part of SEVEN’s local energy mix that will be implemented across France.
Veolia is conducting a six-month test of SEVEN’s VaBHyoGaz demonstration at the Hyères wastewater treatment plant in Almanarre, where it is currently creating green hydrogen.
The station has joined forces with the metropolitan area of Toulon Provence Méditerranée to investigate this green hydrogen generation method using sludge from Hyères and Carqueiranne. The pilot delivers 10 kg of 99.99 percent pure hydrogen each day, sufficient for a light vehicle to go around 1,000 kilometers. Several initiatives are now being developed to provide fleets of cars for moving products or people, as well as maritime shuttles powered entirely by hydrogen.
The VaBHyoGaz method
It is based on the biogas steam reforming process. It permits the synthesis of bioH2 from organic waste (home trash, agricultural waste, etc.) and CIVE (Intermediate Crops for Energy Use). This approach has the advantage of producing local resources for reuse in short circuits, which is less expensive than electrolysis and greener than hydrocarbon steam reforming.
In addition to being a solution for more sustainable transportation, the green hydrogen created in this manner offers a number of other advantages, including the ability to be refueled as rapidly as gasoline or diesel, with equal range and comfort (less noise, less vibration). Finally, it should be noted that a hydrogen engine emits no carbon dioxide because it rejects only water vapor.
VaBHyoGaz, a novel method of biogas valorisation
SEVEN desires to integrate the VaBHyoGaz method into its multi-energy stations and to develop them in each French region in order to promote a local energy mix and promote the sustainable greening of transportation. Thus, the SEVEN stations will enable the refueling of automobiles using biohydrogen in addition to biogas and electricity.
