Viktor Hacker is a professor at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology at Graz University of Technology in Austria. In cooperation with a startup he is promoting the commercial use of the hydrogen generator.

Viktor Hacker is a professor at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology at Graz University of Technology in Austria. In cooperation with a startup he is promoting the commercial use of the hydrogen generator.

Good question

Can manure stop climate change, Professor Hacker?

Yes, to a certain extent. Green hydrogen can be obtained from pig manure in biogas plants, and no CO2 is produced when it is burned. However, production has so far been uneconomical due to the high costs. Two years ago we developed a chemical looping process with which we can produce high-purity compressed hydrogen cost-effectively and decentrally. In the plant, biogas is first reformed into synthesis gas, which then reduces iron oxide to iron in a reactor. In a further step, steam is added, which oxidizes the iron again. This releases hydrogen. The generator is only as big as a freight container and can be used on farms, for example. The possibility of using renewable energy locally is extremely important for mitigating climate change.

Photo: TU Graz

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