How British startup Ocane wants to create "P-Fuels" from ocean energy
Novel technology to extract hydrogen and CO2 from seawater, promises cheaper green fuel alternatives for aviation and marine transport.
In Kent, England, a small startup is making waves with an innovative approach to sustainable fuel production. Ocane, founded by Achim Hoffmann, a chemical engineer and former venture capitalist, is turning to the oceans to address the urgent need for cost-effective, scalable ‘green’ fuels.
Hoffmann's vision sparked during the COVID-19 lockdowns, was inspired by an IPCC chart highlighting the vast amount of thermal energy stored in the world's oceans.
"We are energy-rich," he explains, "but with the wrong type of energy." Ocane aims to change that by extracting hydrogen and carbon dioxide directly from seawater, leveraging this untapped energy source to produce sustainable fuels.
This concept is supported by the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, which states that the ocean has absorbed excess heat in the climate system and represents a significant energy resource.
The p-fuels advantage
The company's approach, which Hoffmann dubs "p-fuels" (proton-based fuels), distinguishes it from traditional "e-fuels" that rely on electrolysis powered by renewable electricity.
Ocane claims it can produce green hydrogen and CO2 at a fraction of the cost by utilising the ocean's natural thermal energy and manipulating the water's chemistry.
Hoffmann argues that the focus on electrolysers in green hydrogen production is misplaced. "Everybody's just talking about the one thing, the electrolyser, which is like 20% of what happens," he asserts. He points out that the true cost lies in the entire system, including electricity generation and storage, gas separation, and electrical infrastructure. This broader perspective, he believes, is crucial for achieving truly cost-effective green hydrogen production.
At the core of Ocane Fuels' technology is the manipulation of water's self-ionisation, a natural process in which water molecules constantly split into their ionic components.
Ocane emphasises the ocean's potential as a single source for the essential components of synthetic fuel production. It offers an abundant supply of hydrogen from water molecules, absorbs a significant portion of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and holds a vast reservoir of global warming energy.
Scaling up: from laboratory to commercial production
Hoffmann told us that Ocane is at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, having demonstrated the feasibility of its concept in a laboratory setting. The next step is to move to TRL 4, which requires building a continuous flow system to generate data for a comprehensive techno-economic analysis.
Hoffmann envisions a pilot plant as the next crucial milestone in advancing towards commercialisation. This would comprise a containerised-sized unit with a large pipe to run seawater through, enabling continuous testing and optimisation of the gas release process.
Ideally located near a strong, warm ocean current, such as off the coasts of South Africa, Japan, Brazil, or Eastern Australia, the pilot plant would provide valuable data for scaling up to a full-sized production facility.
Strategic vision and environmental impact
Hoffmann outlines a three-phase strategy to reduce unit costs for fuel production and scale production capacities by replacing fossil fuels.
Phase 1 targets the most urgent markets: aviation and marine transport. "Aviation is the beachhead market," Hoffmann explains, "especially in the UK driven by the new regulation." Marine transport, potentially via methanol, is another key focus area.
Phase 2 involves "continued hyperscaling and licensing," potentially collaborating with oil and gas companies for their resources.
Phase 3 is the most ambitious: sequestering fuel in former oil wells, potentially deploying "thousands of floating rigs" to capture and store carbon. Hoffmann admits that this is a ‘moonshot’ and at a very conceptual stage, but “purely from a carbon credit perspective, a ton of fuel sequestered will achieve about 3.4x CO2 sequestered.”
Hoffmann estimates reaching the pilot plant stage (TRL 5 or 6) will take approximately two years. This ambitious timeline reflects his determination to accelerate the development and deployment of Ocane Fuels' technology.
The future
However, Hoffmann believes that more rapid progress in scaling up climate tech technologies is possible if the will and funding are there.
He draws on an analogy to the development of COVID-19 vaccines to illustrate his point: "They did something in nine months that usually takes nine years." He attributes this success to unprecedented collaboration and trust between stakeholders and believes a similar collaborative spirit could accelerate the solutions being put forward by companies such as his.
Ocane is still in its early stages of development, and securing the necessary traction and funding to scale up its operations will be critical. However, Hoffmann's ambitious vision and innovative approach represent the kind of thinking needed to decarbonise the transportation sector. If Ocane can successfully navigate the challenges ahead, it could offer one promising pathway towards a more sustainable energy future.
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