British climate technology could revolutionize the transport industry by turning methane from wastewater treatment and anaerobic digestion plants into clean hydrogen and graphene—two materials critical to decarbonizing the transport sector.
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LOOP, created by leading climate tech company Levidian, captures the carbon from methane and transforms it into clean hydrogen and high-quality graphene – a super material that can strengthen tires and make EV batteries charge faster and last longer.
Research by the company has shown the potential for over 100,000 tons of clean hydrogen to be produced by capturing the carbon from UK wastewater treatment plants and farms - enough to power over one billion hydrogen bus miles each year and meet 20% of the hydrogen demand that is predicted to be needed for the transport sector in 2035. Switching buses from diesel to clean hydrogen could reduce the emissions associated with buses and coaches by almost two-thirds (64%).
The graphene produced could dramatically improve the EV experience by delivering a 20% increase in the energy density of EV batteries, allowing for lighter, smaller battery packs and speeding up charging by up to 30%. This would shave at least an hour off the average home charging time of a mid-range EV. Other auto use cases include tires, composites, heaters, engine oil, and paint.
Levidian already has LOOP units in the field with work underway to commission a unit at one of the UK’s largest wastewater treatment plants, United Utilities’ Davyhulme facility later this summer, which is being supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Programme. The company has also partnered with clean hydrogen developer, Hexla, to deliver a project at Worthy Farm, home of the Glastonbury Festival, in the world’s first example of carbon negative hydrogen production from biomethane.
John Hartley, CEO of Levidian, said: “Transport emits more greenhouse gases than any other sector in the UK, but innovative homegrown technology like LOOP can change this by supporting a switch to hydrogen-powered transport and graphene-enhanced EVs.
“Our recent projects at Davyhulme and Worthy Farm offer a glimpse into the transformative potential that LOOP has to help critical sectors within the UK economy to decarbonise while contributing towards a wider circular economy, in this case, supporting the transport sector.”