Hyzon Motors Inc. signed a non-binding MOU with Transform Materials, a provider of renewable hydrogen through its proprietary microwave reactor technology. Together, Hyzon and Transform Materials will evaluate proposals to develop facilities to produce low-to-negative carbon intensity hydrogen from various forms of methane, prioritizing biogas and renewable natural gas.

Through Transform Material’s proprietary technology, these facilities (acting as hubs) can be built to produce hydrogen efficiently—even at small scales of 1-5 tpd—offering modular construction that allows capacity to grow as customer demand increases. Transform’s technology to be employed in these projects produces hydrogen as a co-product with acetylene, providing significantly advantaged hydrogen cost structures.

Pursuant to the MOU, Hyzon and Transform will seek to align hydrogen production with the accelerating demand created by Hyzon’s heavy-duty vehicles. Hubs would be located and sized to fulfill existing and potential customer needs, leading to high utilization by Hyzon’s back-to-base vehicle deployments. Transform Materials’ clean plasma technology can convert methane into hydrogen and acetylene without the CO₂ emissions that result from traditional processes for generating hydrogen and acetylene. Utilizing this flexible, readily available feedstock without emitting CO₂ results in low-to-negative carbon intensity hydrogen for powering Hyzon’s zero-emissions vehicles.

The companies plan to explore sites in the US, Canada, Europe and potentially China for facilities that would incorporate the Transform technology, with initial evaluations expected to begin early this year. Transform Materials will build, own, and operate the hubs, with Hyzon having the right to invest equity in the facilities. Feedstock and dispensing will be provided through third parties.

“Hyzon believes the key to decarbonizing transport in the near-term requires overcoming the hydrogen infrastructure challenges,” said Parker Meeks, Hyzon’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Our solution is to co-invest in facilities that produce low-cost hydrogen at small volumes, and which can be built in a matter of months. By coordinating these facilities with existing and developing customer interest, we can accelerate the deployment of our zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered vehicles.”