First stage of validation for Powerhouse hydrogen tech completed

Waste-to-hydrogen technology company Powerhouse Energy announced on Tuesday that gas process design and certification consultancy DNV has completed the first stage of validation for its enhanced design, to produce two tonnes of hydrogen per day.

The AIM-traded firm said the work was based on the recently-completed update of the front-end engineering design for Protos, which enhanced production options, allowed for variable feedstocks, and produced large export packets of hydrogen for use by fleet operators.

It said the statement of feasibility followed detailed evaluation of the company’s enhanced process design to deliver two tonnes of hydrogen per day, including features for export of the product, and was undertaken against all design enhancements enacted over a two-year period, representing the first application at the Protos Energy Park in Cheshire’s Ellesmere Port.

The DNV assessment had removed previous uncertainties around operating parameters, the board said.

“The delivery of this validation is my last act for Powerhouse,” said chief executive officer David Ryan.

“I leave the company confident that the technology development team led by Paul Emmitt - many of whom have delivered process plants alongside me for 15 years - will deliver DMG technology as the reliable cost effective source of hydrogen for road transport use in the community.”

Following the validation, the DNV assessment team would continue with “extensive verification” of the designs, including failure mode and criticality assessments, which would lead to complete technology qualification in accordance with DNVGL-SE-0160.

The company said both itself and DNV recognised that new sources of uncertainty could be discovered as qualification progressed, but it added it was confident that its technology development programme had identified a work programme to remove many unknowns through the execution of the Protos development, and that the likelihood of new sources of risk arising was “low”.

A certificate of endorsement should be expected in due course later in the year.

The DNV statement and report would be used by Peel, its consultants and its contractors to support finalisation of contracts for the Protos execution, and would also support project development work in Australia and Europe.

“I welcome this latest DNV validation and thank David Ryan warmly for his work in the last four years, during which our company has made great progress,” said chair Tim Yeo.

“David is now going to have a well-earned break but I am pleased to say that his advice will be available to us in future as a consultant to help ensure the timely completion of our first commercial scale plant.”

At 0902 BST, shares in Powerhouse Energy Group were up 3.54% at 5.27p.