CPH2 and NI Water, working together to reduce emissions
Clean Power Hydrogen, the Doncaster manufacturer of the unique Membrane-Free Electrolyser™, is delighted to announce that Northern Ireland Water has chosen their patented technology to aid its decarbonisation strategy.
Clean Power Hydrogen (CPH2), working in partnership with B9 Energy, has won an order for an MFE220 1MW Membrane-Free Electrolyser™ from main contractor LaganMEICA JV.
LaganMEICA JV won the tender from NI Water using the CPH2 solution following a competitive tender process.
Jon Duffy, CEO, CPH2, said, “This is a significant occasion for everyone at CPH2. It is a fantastic opportunity to have our unique technology chosen to support NI Water’s decarbonisation strategy.” Jon continued, “LaganMeica JV have entered into a 15-year strategic partnering agreement which has potential for further similar orders.”
The LaganMEICA JV 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.
Neil McKenzie, Director, Lagan MEICA Ltd, said, “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.”
NI Water was awarded £5m of funding from the Department for the Economy (DfE) in 2020 to explore innovative hydrogen and oxygen technology. NI Water is uniquely placed to harness hydrogen technology at wastewater treatment sites located close to all major towns.
Damien O’Mullan, Head of Energy, NI Water, said, “NI Water has committed to introducing a range of energy efficiency measures over the current regulatory price period. This hydrogen and oxygen demonstrator project will enable the business to assess the benefits of oxygen to the waste water treatment process as well as enabling the wider hydrogen economy in Northern Ireland.”
A trial unit has already been running on-site in Belfast producing hydrogen and oxygen. The CPH2 solution offers high operating efficiencies, coupled with a 25-year lifespan. Engineered to be safe yet quick to build using readily available components (98% reusable or recyclable), 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 September 2021. The system will produce up to 451kg of hydrogen and up to 3609kg of medical-grade oxygen per day.
CPH2 already has plans for large-scale production. The build has already commenced on several MFE220 1MW Membrane-Free Electrolysers, with designs finalised for the MFE440 2MW system.
