How can we adapt old power plants to run on green hydrogen?
Star Scientific has invented a catalyst which, in the presence hydrogen and oxygen, heats up to 700 Celsius. This is enough heat to power a steam generator.
Star Scientific, a 25-year old research lab north of Sydney in Australia, is one of many companies that are trying to make existing power plants carbon-free. This company is just one of several that are trying to convert existing power plants into carbon-free ones. The old thermal coal power plants are among the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. Star has developed a non-polluting, patented catalyst called HERO(r), which is short for Hydrogen Energy Releasing Optimizer. It produces no combustion.
Mars Food Australia, a subsidiary of the global food giant Mars, uses HERO(r), to decarbonize their processes. The 18-month project is the first step to developing alternative heat sources in the food industry. Bill Heague, General Manager at Mars Australia, states that \”thermal energy is essential to the business of food cooking and this technology can create limitless heat with zero emissions.\”
Star Scientific has also plans to retrofit legacy coal-fired plants with the technology to run on green hydrogen. Andrew Horvath of Star Scientific, in an interview with Bloomberg Green stated, \”We believe there are many opportunities for existing steam turbines which have some longevity…Why throw them away?\” The turbines are already connected to grid. He gives the example of Japan, where 70% of the existing turbines have more than 40 years left in their life.
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