Ekona Power Inc.

Solid carbon development
Sector: Energy
Technology: Low Carbon Hydrogen
NorthX Backing: $590,000
Project Value: $2,300,000
Project Status: Active

The Problem

Effectively capturing and utilizing solid carbon produced from methane pyrolysis is a critical challenge to scaling production. Without the proper equipment, solid carbon can accumulate as a waste, leading to disposal challenges, increased costs, and missed opportunities to monetize the co-product. Innovation is essential to enabling the continuous production of hydrogen for the energy transition while minimizing environmental impact.

The Solution

Transforming clean hydrogen production with groundbreaking, cost-effective solutions that turn solid carbon co-products into powerful drivers of economic growth and GHG reductions.

This NorthX-funded project focuses on solid carbon management and optimizing Ekona’s methane pyrolysis technology to produce clean hydrogen, while deriving value from solid carbon byproducts. Ekona plans to improve analytical testing with project partners by expanding its testing collaborations with third-party labs. This will involve evaluating the carbon content, purity, structure and morphology of carbon black produced from Ekona’s methane pyrolysis system. Finally, Ekona will also focus on application development and testing of solid carbon by implementing tests of its solid carbon in construction materials, such as asphalt cement for paving roads. 

By converting solid carbon into valuable products such as asphalt, cement, or water treatment materialsthe project will:

  • Reduce demand for traditional carbon intensive materials, such as bitumen used in asphalt cement production;
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrogen production from natural gas by generating a valued solid carbon co-product, rather than CO2 emissions; and
  • Drive economic value for the production of clean hydrogen from natural gas, enabling commercialization for industrial applications.
“This project will enhance Ekona’s testing capabilities by improving our solid carbon capture process equipment. This program will also help us to evaluate and improve our carbon quality, and explore practical carbon applications to deliver deep GHG reductions. This project positions Ekona as a leader in cost-effective clean hydrogen production and commercial carbon utilization, addressing critical challenges for decarbonizing natural gas in the energy transition. “
Chris Reid, CEO of Ekona Power Inc.

The B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is now NorthX

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