Minnova announces green hydrogen production site
The first step in the company's green energy strategy was announcing the intent to acquire a proprietary biomass gasification technology.
Minnova Corp. and Minnova Renewable Energy announced restructuring strategy and future green hydrogen production site selection.
Minnova announces its first site for a biomass gasification demonstration unit, Swan River, Manitoba, Canada. Following detailed analysis and discussions, the company has arranged for an initial feedstock supply and a well-located site to develop a demonstration unit.
Key selection criteria included an abundant supply of sustainable forest and agricultural biomass residues, existing infrastructure that will facilitate rapid development and future expansion, an existing natural gas pipeline for possible injection, and a supportive local community.
The demonstration unit will be designed and built on a mobile platform for future technology marketing with on-site small-scale production. The demonstration unit will operate for up to 6 months and produce a marketable syngas rich in hydrogen (>50%).
The syngas will be marketed and purified to upgrade to a pure hydrogen product. It is anticipated that multiple feedstocks will be tested to refine and confirm syngas quality and yield and enhance the gasification unit design in preparation for a Phase 1 commercial-scale operation targeting initial production of up to 1.4 mln kg of pure hydrogen per year.
Following the completion of the demonstration unit, it can be relocated to other sites in Canada and the United States with abundant, sustainable biomass supply to demonstrate the technology’s ability to replace or reduce existing fossil fuel use with green hydrogen.
Engagement with potential feedstock suppliers in Costa Rica and Romania has been well received, and biomass gasification test work is underway to collect the required data into future commercial plant design. Both locations represent excellent targets for large scale, sustainable green hydrogen and/or green ammonia production with significant local industrial demand and access to North American and European markets.
