Metacon AB (publ) of Uppsala, Sweden, said its wholly owned Greek subsidiary, Metacon S.A. of Patras, has been awarded European Union funding to develop and demonstrate hydrogen production from biomethane through the BIOH2VAP project. The effective amount covered by the grant is approximately €241,920, against a project budget for Metacon S.A. of €302,400.
The project is intended to validate Metacon's reforming technology in an industrial biogas setting and to assess the commercial potential of converting locally produced biomethane into renewable hydrogen.
Pilot plant planned in Ierapetra, Crete
Under the project, a pilot plant is to be constructed at an existing industrial biogas plant in Ierapetra, Crete. Its scope covers biogas upgrading, biomethane production and demonstration of reforming-based hydrogen generation. Operation and data collection under industrial conditions are expected to let the company evaluate and refine technical performance and operating efficiency, and to prepare for commercial deployment.
Commercial roadmap and circular hydrogen
Metacon said the award adds to the commercialization roadmap for its proprietary reforming technology and supports the development of hydrogen solutions that use renewable feedstocks.
The company added that the project creates a platform for assessing how hydrogen production can be integrated with existing biogas infrastructure and local residue streams, with the aim of improving resource efficiency and strengthening the business case for circular hydrogen production.
CEO statement and international outlook
Christer Wikner, President and CEO of Metacon, said the BIOH2VAP project gives the company a new industrial platform to demonstrate clean hydrogen production from biomethane and to optimize its commercial potential. He said it expands the company's industrial testing base for its reforming technology and will support commercialization plans targeting future deployment at thousands of existing places internationally where biogas infrastructure and local renewables are already available.