Conversion of waste materials into high-purity, climate-neutral, green biohydrogen

Challenge

By 2030, hydrogen demand in Germany is expected to reach 90 – 110 TWh. In contrast, domestic green hydrogen production is projected to reach only up to 14 TWh. This gap threatens to increase dependence on imports or lead to greater reliance on fossil-based hydrogen sources (“grey” hydrogen). The aim of the Pure_Bio_H2 project was therefore to develop a scalable and sustainable pathway for producing high-purity, climate-neutral hydrogen from biogenic residues, thereby contributing to the National Hydrogen Strategy.

Solution

The consortium developed an end-to-end process chain ranging from the selection of suitable residues through thermo-catalytic reforming to membrane-based hydrogen separation. At Fraunhofer IST, specialized expertise in the PVD coating of Pd-Ag membranes, in process and material development, and a custom-built single-tube test chamber for characterization under realistic conditions were utilized.

Added Value

In the Pure_Bio_H2 project, an end-to-end process chain for converting biogenic waste materials – particularly from the paper industry – into high-purity, climate-neutral hydrogen was developed. The test infrastructure, demonstrator design, and economic feasibility analysis confirm the technical feasibility and economic potential of this approach. Building on these results, further membrane and demonstrator projects are planned.