LaganMEICA Ltd has won the tender from Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) “Developing Hydrogen and Oxygen Ecosystems “using the B9/CPH2 solution due to outstanding benefits and advantages of the unique technology over PEM electrolysers.
LaganMEICA’s project remit was to improve efficiency in the treatment of wastewater at NI Water’s Belfast plant. Oxygen, generally regarded as a by-product of hydrogen production, can be used in this process. Aeration is a secondary treatment that is a costly process and accounts for around 50% of the carbon emissions and energy consumption in municipal treatment works.
"Recognising the huge potential of the membrane-free technology over PEM, we engaged with B9 Energy Storage Ltd and CPH2 at an early stage. The credentials of the CPH2 solution were impressive. No membrane indicated less maintenance, longer life, and simplicity in operation. A containerised design that was directly scalable, with oxygen production as well as hydrogen, led us to where we are today."Neil McKenzie, Director, Lagan MEICA Ltd
NI Water won £5m of funding from the Department for the Economy (DfE) in 2020 to explore innovative hydrogen and oxygen technology. Their priority is to decarbonise its fleet of vehicles first, followed by an installation of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations at their sites throughout the country. NI Water is uniquely placed, to harness its existing electricity connections at wastewater treatment sites, located close to all major towns.
"NI Water has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 20-30 and has pledged to become carbon-neutral by 2050. Choosing hydrogen as an enabler for this transition is key. Utilising the oxygen for our treatment processes is a bonus, both for the environment and our productivity."Alistair Jinks, Head of Business Services, NI Water
A trial unit has already been running successfully on-site in Belfast producing hydrogen and oxygen. With no precious metal membrane to degrade or fail, the CPH2 solution is a game-changer in hydrogen production. It offers high operating efficiencies, coupled with a 25-year lifespan, outlasting PEM electrolysers by more than double. Robustly engineered to be safe yet quick to build using readily available components (98% reusable or recyclable), the CPH2 offering provides the lowest OPEX and Levelised Cost of Hydrogen. The electrolysers are scalable to meet the growing multi and gigawatt requirements that the hydrogen economy is demanding.
The MFE220 1MW Membrane-Free Electrolyser is already in production at CPH2's Technology Innovation Centre in Doncaster and is due for installation in Belfast by January 2022. The system will produce up to 451kg of hydrogen and up to 3609kg of medical-grade oxygen per day.
