HYCO1 Announces the First Commercial Operation of its Breakthrough CO2 Conversion Technology, Achieving TRL-9 Status

HYCO1, Inc. (NEW FRANKEN, Wis., Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HYCO1, Inc. announces it has achieved a key milestone in commercializing its breakthrough CO₂ conversion technology, already surpassing 1,500 hours of continuous steady-state operation in its first commercial CUBE™ Syngas system (CUBE™ stands for Carbon Utilization. Best Efficiency). The revolutionary HYCO1 catalyst technology, installed in collaboration with Agra Energy at its New Franken, WI biofuels plant, integrates directly into the front-end of a dairy waste-to-SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) project, marking a major advancement toward commercializing lower-cost, higher efficiency carbon utilization solutions.

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Catalyst Technology in Action

HYCO1's CUBE™ catalyst was deployed as a significant upgrade to a more conventional catalyst in the Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) section of Agra's plant. The HYCO1 catalyst is uniquely capable of equally converting both methane and CO₂ in the biogas to high-quality syngas, making it one of the lowest-cost CO₂ conversion technologies in the world. The catalyst was installed as a direct drop-in solution with no modifications required to the reformer. Since its August 2024 installation, HYCO1’s catalyst has exceeded performance expectations, converting over 96% of methane and CO₂ in the biogas feed to chemical-grade hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a single pass. The reaction efficiency optimizes Agra Energy's biogas blend, typically 40% CO₂ and 60% methane, derived from dairy manure digestors and converted to high-purity syngas used for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) liquid fuels like SAF and renewable diesel.

The Agra Energy project is set to exceed carbon reduction standards, achieving negative carbon intensity. HYCO1's technology ensures the fuel products meet and surpass the 50% carbon reduction threshold required by sustainability regulations.

Scaling Innovation and Achieving TRL-9

The New Franken installation has elevated HYCO1's core technology to Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL-9), indicating full operational maturity. This scale-up, 90 times larger than HYCO1's Houston demonstration facility, provides critical validation for future technology licensing and commercial expansion.

"We've long known our catalyst offers unprecedented CO₂ utilization efficiency," said Kurt Dieker, Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder of HYCO1. "This success with Agra Energy demonstrates the disruptive potential of our technology and opens new doors for broader licensing opportunities. At scale, our catalyst is surpassing even our own high expectations."

The enhanced performance will also increase the facility’s production capacity by more than 20% by leveraging both methane and CO₂ feedstocks as carbon sources for syngas production.

Customer and Partner Insights

Tony Long, Chief Technology Officer at Agra Energy, highlighted the value of HYCO1's non-coking and non-sintering CO₂ conversion catalyst: "The ability to maintain syngas production despite variability in biogas feedstock has been invaluable. Additionally, the increase in syngas production through efficient CO₂ conversion allows us to monetize all of the biogenic carbon in the biogas streams, not just the methane. HYCO1's solution eliminates downtime issues seen with traditional catalysts and transforms waste streams into valuable products at scale."

Given the catalyst's performance, Greg Carr, CEO and Co-Founder of HYCO1, announced that HYCO1 has entered into a technology collaboration agreement with Agra Energy. "The commercial collaboration with Agra Energy allows HYCO1 to meet market demand for low-cost, small-scale, distributed biogas solutions and deliver a decarbonization pathway that is profitable and sustainable," Carr stated.

Looking Ahead

Both companies are now collaboratively offering licensing opportunities replicating the plant's success in New Franken, WI. New licensing options are especially attractive for operators with stranded biogas and landfill gas. Additionally, HYCO1 is offering its drop-in catalyst solution to other conventional SMR operators worldwide to realize energy savings and improve syngas quality.

About HYCO1

HYCO1 is a pioneer in cost-effective carbon utilization technologies that convert CO₂ emissions into sustainable, high-value products without relying on government incentives. The company's CUBE™ Technology transforms CO₂ and methane into low-cost, low-carbon-intensity syngas at commercial scale, offering industries profitable pathways to repurpose emissions. HYCO1 uniquely reforms CO₂ with methane, typically at one-fourth the cost of competitive alternatives.

For more information, visit www.hyco1.com.