LaganMEICA Ltd won the tender from NI Water using the CPH2 solution because of the outstanding benefits and advantages of the unique technology over PEM electrolysers.
Jon Duffy, CEO of CPH2, said: "This is a significant occasion for everyone at CPH2. It is a fantastic opportunity to have our unique technology chosen to support NI Water's decarbonisation strategy. "This is a 15-year contract and subject to the sign-off of trials already underway, there is a potential order for more than 27MW from NI Water and the wider Irish economy."
LaganMEICA's project remit was to improve efficiency in the treatment of wastewater at NI Water's Belfast plant. Oxygen, generally regarded as a by-product of hydrogen production, can be used in this process. Aeration is a secondary treatment that is a costly process and accounts for around 50% of the carbon emissions and energy consumption in municipal treatment works.
Neil McKenzie, Director, Lagan MEICA Ltd, added: "Recognising the huge potential of the membrane-free technology over PEM, we engaged with B9 Energy Storage Ltd and CPH2 at an early stage.
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"The credentials of the CPH2 solution were impressive. No membrane indicated less maintenance, longer life, and simplicity in operation. A containerised design that was directly scalable, with oxygen production as well as hydrogen, led us to where we are today."
NI Water won £5m of funding from the Department for the Economy (DfE) in 2020 to explore innovative hydrogen and oxygen technology. Their priority is to decarbonise its fleet of vehicles first, followed by an installation of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations at their sites throughout the country. NI Water is uniquely placed, to harness its existing electricity connections at wastewater treatment sites, located close to all major towns.
Alistair Jinks, Head of Business Services, NI Water, said: "NI Water has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 20-30 and has pledged to become carbon-neutral by 2050. Choosing hydrogen as an enabler for this transition is key. Utilising the oxygen for our treatment processes is a bonus, both for the environment and our productivity."
A trial unit has already been running successfully on-site in Belfast producing hydrogen and oxygen. With no precious metal membrane to degrade or fail, the CPH2 solution is a game-changer in hydrogen production. It offers high operating efficiencies, coupled with a 25-year lifespan, outlasting PEM electrolysers by more than double. Robustly engineered to be safe yet quick to build using readily available components (98% reusable or recyclable), the CPH2 offering provides the lowest OPEX and Levelised Cost of Hydrogen. The electrolysers are scalable to meet the growing multi and gigawatt requirements that the hydrogen economy is demanding.
The MFE220 1MW Membrane-Free Electrolyser is already in production at CPH2's Technology Innovation Centre in Doncaster and is due for installation in Belfast by September 2021. The system will produce up to 451kg of hydrogen and up to 3609kg of medical-grade oxygen per day.
CPH2 already has plans for large-scale production. The build has already commenced on several MFE220 1MW Membrane-Free Electrolysers, with designs finalised for the MFE440 2MW system.
