"The startup drills wells in regions with specific types of iron-rich rock that release hydrogen gas when treated with water, heat, pressure, and some catalysts. Vema then draws the hydrogen to the surface and sells it to industrial users. "To supply the Quebec local market, which is about 100,000 tons per year, you would need 3 square kilometers, which is nothing," Pierre Levin, CEO of Vema, told TechCrunch."
"Most hydrogen today is made by a process known as steam reformation of methane (SMR), in which steam is used to break hydrogen molecules off methane from natural gas. It's energy intensive, and both the process to make steam and the chemical reaction itself release carbon dioxide. Less polluting sources of hydrogen exist, but they tend to cost more. Hydrogen from SMR costs between 70 cents and $1.60 per kilogram, according to the IEA."
Vema Hydrogen produces hydrogen by drilling wells in iron-rich rock formations that release hydrogen when exposed to water, heat, pressure, and catalysts. The company draws produced hydrogen to the surface and sells it to industrial customers, including data centers, following a supply agreement in California and a completed pilot in Quebec. The pilot well produces several tons per day, and a first commercial 800-meter well is planned for next year. Vema projects production costs below $1 per kilogram initially and aims for under $0.50 per kilogram after technique refinement. Oxford Institute for Energy Studies characterizes stimulated geologic hydrogen as among the cleanest sources.
Read at TechCrunch
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