HYCO1 achieves first commercial operation of its CO2 conversion technology, TRL-9 status
HYCO1 achieves first commercial operation of its CO2 conversion technology, TRL-9 status
HYCO1 Inc. has achieved a key milestone in commercializing its carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion technology, already surpassing 1,500 hr of continuous steady-state operation in its first commercial CUBE™ Syngas system (CUBE™ stands for Carbon Utilization. Best Efficiency).
The HYCO1 catalyst technology installed in collaboration with Agra Energy at its New Franken, Wisconsin (U.S.) biofuels plant, integrates directly into the front end of a dairy waste-to-SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) project, marking a major advancement toward commercializing lower-cost, higher efficiency carbon utilization solutions.
Catalyst technology in action. HYCO1's CUBE™ catalyst was deployed as a significant upgrade to a more conventional catalyst in the steam methane reformer (SMR) section of Agra's plant. HYCO1's catalyst is capable of equally converting both methane and CO2 in the biogas to high-quality syngas, making it one of the lowest cost CO2 conversion technologies in the world, according to the company.
The HYCO1 catalyst was installed as a direct drop-in solution with no changes required to the reformer. Since its August 2024 installation, the HYCO1 catalyst has exceeded performance expectations, converting > 96% of the methane and CO2 in the feed biogas to chemical-grade hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), all in a single pass.
The reaction efficiency optimizes the use of Agra Energy's biogas blend, typically 40% CO₂ and 60% methane. Biogas at Agra is produced from dairy manure digestors, then converted by the HYCO1 reforming process to deliver high-purity syngas used to manufacture Fischer-Tropsch (FT) liquid fuels such as SAF and renewable diesel.
The Agra Energy project is set to exceed carbon reduction standards, achieving negative carbon intensity. HYCO1's process technology equally converts methane and CO₂, ensuring the project's fuel products meet and surpass the 50% carbon reduction threshold mandated by sustainability regulations.
Scaling innovation and achieving TRL-9. The New Franken installation has elevated HYCO1's core technology to Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL-9), having achieved full operational maturity. The catalyst installation marks a substantial, proven scale-up, which is 90 times larger than HYCO1's Houston, Texas-based demonstration facility, providing critical validation for future technology licensing and commercial expansion.
"We've long known our catalyst offers unprecedented CO₂ utilization efficiency," said Kurt Dieker, Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder of HYCO1. "This success with Agra Energy demonstrates the disruptive potential of our technology and opens new doors for broader licensing opportunities. At scale, our catalyst is surpassing even our own high expectations."
The enhanced performance will also increase the facility's production capacity by more than 20% by leveraging both methane and CO₂ feedstocks as carbon sources for producing CO-rich syngas.
Tony Long, Chief Technology Officer at Agra Energy, highlighted the value of HYCO1's non-coking and non-sintering CO2 conversion catalyst: "The ability to maintain syngas production despite variability in biogas feedstock has been invaluable. Additionally, the increase in syngas production through efficient CO2 conversion allows us to monetize all of the biogenic carbon in the biogas streams not just the methane. HYCO1's solution not only eliminates downtime issues seen with traditional catalysts but also transforms waste streams into valuable products at scale."
Given the performance of the catalyst, Greg Carr, CEO and Co-Founder of HYCO1, announced that the company has entered into a technology collaboration agreement with Agra Energy. "The commercial collaboration with Agra Energy allows HYCO1 to help meet market demand for low-cost, small-scale, distributed biogas solutions and deliver a meaningful decarbonization pathway that is both profitable and sustainable," Carr stated.
Looking ahead. Both companies are now collaboratively offering licensing opportunities which replicate the plant success in New Franken, Wisconsin. New technology licensing opportunities are especially attractive for owners and operators who have stranded biogas and landfill gas. In addition, HYCO1 is now offering its drop-in catalyst solution to other conventional SMR owners and operators around the world for realizing energy savings and syngas quality improvement benefits.
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