CATAGEN receives government backing to develop technology to produce Bio-Hydrogen at industrial scale

  • CATAGEN, a zero emissions and air quality technology company, has been awarded a new grant by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) to help accelerate and scale the production of Bio-Hydrogen in the UK.

    The Belfast-based company has successfully developed a range of net zero technologies focused on cleaning and decarbonising the air, as part of its mission to deliver greener and healthier environments. Air pollution remains the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, causing more than 30,000 deaths every year.

    In the last year alone, the company has successfully patented five new technologies, including a novel production method to sustainably create Bio-Hydrogen from a biomass source. The production of hydrogen from sustainable biomass and waste represents a key hurdle in the realisation of a green hydrogen economy, with cost, technological and operational challenges to address. The proposed CATAGEN solution has the potential to produce renewable bio-hydrogen from waste biomass with cost and emissions efficiencies.

    RELATED: CATAGEN receives two BEIS awards to develop new Net Zero Technologies

    Dr Andrew Woods, CEO at CATAGEN said:  “The world urgently needs alternatives to fossil fuels, but not all sectors can be electrified. We welcome the government’s backing at this vital time as we continue to grow our team to meet the greatest challenge of our time. With our five new patents secured, we are focused on accelerating our efforts to prove and then deploy innovative new generators to create Green Hydrogen, Bio-Hydrogen and E-Fuels. As well as offering an enormous economic opportunity for the region, deploying these technologies at an industrial scale will help to address the challenge posed by increasing energy costs and the rising and very real threats posed by climate change.”

    Energy Minister, Greg Hands, added: “Accelerating home-grown renewables like biomass is a key part of ending our dependency on expensive and volatile fossil fuels.  This £37 million of government investment will support innovation across the UK, boosting jobs whilst ensuring greater energy security for years to come.”

    RELATED: Secretary of State opens CATAGEN’s Net Zero Technologies Centre in Belfast

    BEIS is funding this project through the Hydrogen BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) Innovation Programme. CATAGEN is one of the fastest growing technology companies in Northern Ireland and is using its specialist emissions expertise “to clean and decarbonise the air” by developing new products to impact Net Zero and climate change.  Established in 2010, CATAGEN has doubled its workforce in the past year and is aiming to double again over the next year.

    Source: Written from press release.



    About the author

    Aoife is a Sync NI writer with a previous background working in print, online and broadcast media. She has a keen interest in all things tech related. To connect with Aoife feel free to send her an email or connect on LinkedIn.

    Got a news-related tip you’d like to see covered on Sync NI? Email the editorial team for our consideration.

    Sign up now for a FREE weekly newsletter showcasing the latest news, jobs and events in NI’s tech sector.

Share this story