NW Natural and Hycamite to explore opportunities for emissions-free hydrogen production technology in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NW Natural, Oregon's largest gas utility, and Kokkola, Finland-based Hycamite TCD Technologies have signed a letter of intent to explore applications for Hycamite's novel methane pyrolysis technology to produce and distribute clean hydrogen.

Within NW Natural's service territory, large natural gas customers could develop facilities that use Hycamite's novel methane-splitting technology to deliver low-carbon (turquoise) hydrogen to supplement or replace natural gas usage. Hycamite would install, commission, operate and maintain the methane pyrolysis units while NW Natural would deliver the natural gas feedstock used to produce hydrogen.

"We want to help a variety of industrial customers to decarbonize their production cost-efficiently, and we are ready to scale up the production in North America swiftly," says Hycamite CEO Laura Rahikka. "We look forward to working with NW Natural to develop opportunities with the utility and its largest natural gas customers."

Low carbon fuels such as clean hydrogen play an essential role in NW Natural's long-term decarbonization plans. "We're excited about the potential to lower emissions with clean hydrogen, and we look forward to exploring opportunities for Hycamite's technology to help deliver carbon reductions for us and our customers," said Chris Kroeker, NW Natural's business development lead for hydrogen and carbon capture.

About the technology

Hycamite's technology helps decarbonize industrial by providing low-carbon (turquoise) hydrogen and sustainable carbon products for demanding industrial applications. Hycamite's technology decomposes large volumes of methane into its component elements-- hydrogen and carbon—while avoiding the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Clean hydrogen can be used as either an industrial raw material or fuel. The company's technology requires only 13% of the energy needed to produce hydrogen via electrolysis. Using a methane feedstock (from geologic natural gas, biomethane or synthetic natural gas) allows production to scale up rapidly.

Hycamite's technology is a cutting-edge carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology. Hycamite captures the carbon in a solid form and provides it to customers as nanocarbon and other industrial-quality products. The carbon byproducts are based on electrically conductive carbon nanoproducts, making them ideal for such applications as battery production, supercapacitors, electronics, additives in polymers and composite materials, and concrete manufacturing.

Furthermore, Hycamite's catalysts are sustainable.

About Hycamite

Hycamite is a privately owned deep tech company headquartered in Kokkola, Finland. In its latest investment round in July 2023, Hycamite raised 25 million euros ($26.2 million USD equivalent) from Japanese conglomerate Sojitz and other investors looking to support low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable carbon production. Hycamite breaks down methane molecules using heat and its proprietary zero-emission technology. Its methane-splitting technology is based on longstanding research in applied chemistry from the University of Oulu, Finland.

About NW Natural

NW Natural is a local distribution company that currently provides natural gas service to approximately 2.5 million people in more than 140 communities through more than 795,000 meters in Oregon and Southwest Washington with one of the most modern pipeline systems in the nation. NW Natural owns and operates 21 Bcf of underground gas storage capacity in Oregon. NW Natural, a part of Northwest Natural Holding Company, (NYSE: NWN) (NW Natural Holdings), is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and has been doing business for more than 160 years. NW Holdings owns NW Natural, NW Natural Renewables Holdings (NW Natural Renewables), NW Natural Water Company (NW Natural Water), and other business interests. We have a longstanding commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and taking care of our employees and communities. Learn more in our latest ESG Report.

NW Natural website: www.nwnatural.com

Hycamite website: www.hycamite.com

Hycamite on X: @hycamite

Hycamite on LinkedIn: Hycamite TCD Technologies