Metacon S.A., the wholly owned Greek subsidiary of Metacon AB (publ) of Uppsala, Sweden, has been awarded European Union project funding to develop and demonstrate hydrogen production from biomethane under the BIOH2VAP project.
The project will validate Metacon's reforming technology in an industrial biogas setting and assess the commercial potential of converting locally produced biomethane into renewable hydrogen. The effective amount covered by the grant is approximately €241,920.
Pilot plant planned in Crete
As part of the project, a pilot plant will be constructed at an existing industrial biogas plant in Ierapetra, Crete, covering biogas upgrading, biomethane production and demonstration of reforming-based hydrogen generation.
Operation and data collection under industrial conditions will provide an opportunity to evaluate and refine technical performance and operating efficiency, and to prepare for commercial deployment.
Budget and commercialization path
For Metacon, the project adds to the commercialization roadmap for its proprietary reforming technology and supports the development of hydrogen solutions using renewable feedstocks. Metacon S.A.'s project budget is €302,400, of which €241,920 is covered by public funding.
The project also creates a platform for assessing how hydrogen production can be integrated with existing biogas infrastructure and local residue streams, with the aim of improving resource efficiency and strengthening the business case for circular hydrogen production.
CEO highlights industrial platform
"The BIOH2VAP project gives us a new industrial platform to demonstrate clean hydrogen production from biomethane and optimize its commercial potential," said Christer Wikner, President and CEO of Metacon.
Wikner said the project would expand Metacon's industrial testing base for its reforming technology and support commercialization plans targeting future deployment at thousands of existing places internationally where biogas infrastructure and local renewables are already available.