Graforce, a German hydrogen technology company, and Worley, a leading global engineering and project delivery business, are collaborating to scale methane electrolysis using plasmalysis technology.
Plasmalysis is a breakthrough technology that converts hydrocarbons like natural gas, LNG, and flare gas into hydrogen without emitting CO2 or other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This allows gas consumers to switch to clean-burning hydrogen without changing their energy supplier or mode of transportation. The collaboration aims to scale methane plasmalysis plants in Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and China.
APPEA 2023 Exhibition
The companies will present plasmalysis plants at APPEA 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. The event is sponsored by Worley and will showcase the latest innovations in the hydrogen industry and its impact on the decarbonization of industries and fossil fuels. The APAC region is looking for green technologies for existing energy sources to achieve climate targets, making the cooperation with Worley an important step to scale methane plasmalysis and open up these markets.
Australia’s Importance in the Energy Industry
Australia is among the largest producers of natural gas and one of the world’s leading fuel suppliers. Projects to supply Germany with LNG and green hydrogen are underway. At the same time, the country aims to reduce its CO2 emissions by more than 40 percent by 2030. Sustainable technologies like plasmalysis are an essential requirement to meet both economic and climate targets.
Worley’s Role in the Collaboration
Worley provides large-scale engineering, procurement, and construction services to the energy, resources, and chemicals industries. The company will provide engineering and project delivery services for plasmalysis plant customers in Australia and Asia. In modular plants, a high-frequency plasma field generated by renewable electricity splits hydrocarbons such as methane into their molecular components: hydrogen and solid carbon. Compared to water electrolysis, plasmalysis requires only one-fifth of the energy to produce the same amount of hydrogen. A single 20-megawatt plant can convert about 70,000 metric tons of methane into hydrogen per year and eliminate about 200,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Plasmalysis as a Decarbonization Tool
As the world scales towards the vast quantities of renewable energy and hydrogen required to meet Net Zero goals, there will be a medium-term reliance on fossil fuels, including natural gas and LNG. Plasmalysis enables faster decarbonization utilizing existing infrastructure. It is likely to be a valuable tool in the decarbonization toolbox and contribute to Worley’s company’s purpose of delivering a more sustainable world.
About Graforce and Worley
Graforce is a German hydrogen technology company that produces carbon dioxide-free or carbon di-oxide-negative hydrogen and synthetic feedstocks in the multi-megawatt range. Graforce decarbonizes fossil energies, industries, and the heat, transport, and building sectors. The company is expanding its financial and strategic partnerships to scale its hydrogen technology worldwide.
Worley is a global company headquartered in Australia that provides professional project and asset services in the energy, chemicals, and resources sectors. As a knowledge-based service provider, Wor-ley uses its knowledge and capabilities to support its customers to reduce their emissions and move towards a low-carbon future.