Technological disruptions in green fuels — a look at today's pioneers

Innovators disrupting the green fuels landscape at each stage of the value chain

When people imagine the clean energy transition, the first images that come to mind are often solar plants and wind turbines – established, picture-perfect solutions emblematic of a sustainable future. But solutions for heavy industry are part of a market that is largely still emerging. Further development is required for solutions to scale at the rate the climate crisis necessitates, and we believe that keeping this truth at the forefront of climate conversations is crucial.

Green fuels are necessary to get hard-to-abate sectors like industrial heat, heavy mobility, and ammonia production to net zero. Yet, the journey toward widespread adoption of green fuels will be a slow one unless we see significant disruptive innovation.

Understanding the green fuels value chain

There are three key parts of the green fuels value chain.

1. Upstream: The production stage where raw materials or feedstocks are sourced and processed into green fuels.

2. Mid-stream: The transport and storage stage. This is how green fuels are efficiently and safely moved from production sites to the locations where they will be refined, distributed, or consumed.

3. Downstream: The final stage – where green fuels are refined, distributed, and used in various applications, from power generation to industrial processes.

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Interest in green fuels is high, but market progress will remain sluggish without innovation that can disrupt the status quo. Today, we spotlight a few pioneering companies making waves at each stage of the value chain, so we can get to net zero faster, together.

Upstream/production of green fuels 

The upstream segment is where the green fuel journey begins. It’s the initial stages of the production process where raw materials or feedstocks are sourced and processed into viable fuel sources. Innovation here is critical to making green fuels cost-competitive and scalable.

• Supercritical has developed ultra-efficient electrolyser technology, making the production of green hydrogen more energy-efficient and potentially more economical.

• Jolt Solutions is revolutionising electrode technology with a new coating process that could improve efficiency and reduce costs in green fuel production.

• Hutan Bio is decarbonising long-distance transportation with a low carbon, scalable ‘drop in’ replacement for diesel and feedstock for aviation fuels. Its biofuel is made from HBx, a patented algae that allows the company to utilise unproductive land.

  
  

Mid-stream transport and storage

Once produced, green fuels need to be distributed. Mid-stream includes the processes and infrastructure required to move and store green fuels from the production sites (upstream) to the locations where they’ll be refined, distributed, or consumed (downstream).

This stage is critical for ensuring the efficient and safe handling of green fuels as they transition from production to end-use. Innovation here is essential for making green fuels economically viable, especially for regions not so geographically advantaged.

• Fluid-7 is decarbonising the world’s energy pipelines with its proprietary impermeable membrane barrier solution suitable for hydrocarbon transportation. The system enables the remediation of existing oil and gas infrastructure for use with green energies such as hydrogen and ammonia.

• ITP Interpipe designs and implements high-performing insulated and heated pipeline systems, helping customers to reduce project risks and CAPEX, while increasing their production.

Downstream use cases in energy

The downstream segment is where green fuels are refined, distributed, and finally put to use, whether in power generation, industrial processes, or other applications. Innovations here can drive broader adoption and highlight the practical benefits of green fuels.

• SSAB is pioneering the use of hydrogen instead of coal in the ore reduction process for steel production. SSAB aims to bring fossil-free steel to market by 2026.

• Heidelberg Materials has partnered with engineering consultancy Stopford and Cranfield University to establish the feasibility of using ammonia as a source of hydrogen for use as a fuel in cement kilns.

• AGC, in an ongoing project with Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and Tohoku University, has successfully used 100% ammonia fuel to produce architectural glass.

• Crosstown H2R flagship product can operate with any proportion of natural gas and hydrogen, enabling the decarbonisation of gas turbines.

Where do we go from here?

Reaching market maturity for green fuels – and thereby achieving economic feasibility – requires more than production advancements. We need innovation across the entire value chain. And it appears things are headed in the right direction; the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that by 2030, half of clean hydrogen capital investments will be allocated to mid-stream and end-use infrastructure. 

The pioneers highlighted here are just a glimpse of the exciting developments happening in the green fuels landscape. At NET, we are all in on a green fuels future, for we believe these innovations will play a critical role in achieving a sustainable, net-zero world.