Waste? Energy!

In addition to traditional renewable resources, we have also been experimenting with new research and development projects, innovation, and unique knowledge. At Henry Gas, a subsidiary of MTX Renewables, we are experimenting with hydrogen production, which has a promising future.

Henry Gas is looking into the future of hydrogen in our country.The project is based on our robust knowledge base, our many years of experience, and our major financial investments. “If someone wanted to stand at the starting line at the same place we are today, they would need 5 years of experience and 300 million CZK in investment,” reiterates Ondřej Douša.

The path to hydrogen is not easy. You need to own modern technology, which we had to invent or purchase from our American partners. The entire hydrogen production process starts with industrial and municipal waste, particularly plastic waste, which needs processing methods other than the now obsolete landfilling or incineration, which is not entirely supported by the European Union. In the future, there might be an opportunity for us to work directly with municipalities and show them how they can utilize their municipal waste. We plan to establish partnerships with municipalities in the form of PPP projects, a part of which is a bespoke business model. Using waste to produce hydrogen is based on the principles of circular economy – municipal waste can be recycled into fuel for local public transport, for example.

The hydrogen production process starts with sorting and crushing waste. Then, it is formed into pellets, which can be sold separately as a coal substitute. A key technological process is thermochemical material decomposition, or, put simply, chemical recycling, which allows us to make renewable, low-emission synthetic gas. About 30% of this gas comprises hydrogen.

During this year’s pilot installation, this gas was sent to a heating plant, which burns it in the same way as they would burn natural gas. A renewable, low-emission synthetic gas is an alternative to fossil fuels that meets decarbonization indicators and which can be produced from local waste in the Czech Republic. In the next phase, the hydrogen is extracted from the gas. The hydrogen market is still relatively young, but when it develops, we will be ready.

100 m CZK will be invested into making hydrogen from waste by 2025

The private sector is a leader in technological progress

Our ambition is not small; we have big goals. However, we’re convinced we can achieve them. Worldwide. Because we’re ahead of our competition. We have many years of experience and investment rounds up our sleeve,” says Ondřej Douša about Henry Gas, reminding us of further innovative energy transformation projects to come. In his opinion, biomethane also has a promising future in the Czech Republic. It has the potential to have a 15–20% share in the country’s energy mix. That is why biomethane production and trade is also a part of the MTX Renewables portfolio. It is worth mentioning that hydrogen can also be the final product of solar, hydro or wind energy, and it is also possible to make it from biomethane. Hydrogen is the keystone that connects our work transitioning towards clean energy and decarbonization.

“I would like to point out that we don’t rely on public funding in our development of renewable energy sources. We only invest private capital. I want to praise Petr Otava’s visionary spirit; the private sector is a leader of technological progress,” adds Ondřej Douša proudly.

Why Henry Gas?

The name refers to the British physicist and chemist Henry Cavendish (1731–1810). In 1766, he described the properties of hydrogen in his article on gasses. Although the name hydrogène was given to the gas by Cavendish’s French counterpart Antoine Lavoisier, Cavendish is considered to have discovered hydrogen.