Pioneering Carbon-Negative Hydrogen Production at Worthy Farm

In a significant advancement toward harnessing the decarbonising potential of hydrogen, developer Hexla and British climate tech firm Levidian have achieved a world-first in carbon-negative hydrogen production at Worthy Farm in Somerset, famously known as the venue for the Glastonbury Festival.

Worthy Farm is already at the forefront of renewable energy innovation, using an anaerobic digestion plant to convert thousands of tonnes of cow slurry and waste silage into renewable energy. This sustainable approach is set to be further enhanced by Levidian’s groundbreaking LOOP technology, which captures carbon from the biomethane produced during this process and converts it into super-material graphene and green hydrogen. The hydrogen produced will be utilised in the farm’s combined heat and power plant for electricity generation.

The installation is projected to save up to 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. Additionally, the graphene produced will be sold as an additive to enhance the performance of batteries, concrete, and plastics.

“The Worthy Farm project is a great example of innovation within the agricultural sector and an important showcase of the vast flexibility and potential of our technology in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries while unlocking new revenue streams,” said Levidian CEO John Hartley.

Scaling Up Green Hydrogen Production

Hexla is not only funding the development of an industrial-scale unit to provide low-cost clean hydrogen throughout the plant’s lifespan but is also set to become a global deployment partner for the LOOP technology. Hexla plans to deploy up to 300 units, which will significantly reduce carbon emissions by hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year.

The Future of Hydrogen in the Energy Landscape

This announcement marks a significant milestone for the hydrogen industry as it strives to scale production to become a viable, sustainable component of the future energy landscape. Despite the long-standing promise of hydrogen as a clean energy source, the industry has faced challenges in reducing costs enough to appeal to large-scale industrial emitters over cheaper fossil fuels.

Earlier concerns were raised about the sufficiency of green hydrogen to meet the Net Zero Technology Centre’s (NZTC) pipeline from Scotland to Europe without increased support. However, a wave of green hydrogen projects across the UK is poised to benefit from £2 billion in government funding announced in late 2023. This funding is expected to create hundreds of jobs and attract millions in investment.

Under the hydrogen allocation round (HAR1) scheme, suppliers will receive a guaranteed price from the government for the hydrogen they provide via the Hydrogen Production Business Model, which will commence payments once projects become operational.

In Conclusion

The Worthy Farm initiative is a testament to the innovative spirit within the agricultural sector and the broader potential of advanced technologies in tackling climate change. As the hydrogen industry continues to evolve and scale, projects like this will be crucial in demonstrating the practical and economic viability of green hydrogen, paving the way for a more sustainable energy future.