Hydrogen Future Industries PLC (AQSE:HFI) said it has begun a first feasibility study of its technology in the mining sector and has signed an agreement in Australia to identify opportunities in the country’s nascent microgrid sector.
In an update for investors on Thursday, the Aquis-listed company said the feasibility study (FS) has started with "one of the world's largest and most forward-thinking" mining companies on a working mine tailings and water treatment site in the USA.
The study aims to demonstrate how HFI's system can use wastewater from tailings as a feedstock to generate clean energy and clean water as a by-product for on-site mining operations.
Tim Blake, chief executive of the core HFI Energy Systems subsidiary, said: "With the mining sector accounting for 10% of global energy and 80% of electricity consumption, the FS provides an initial step towards the commercial opportunity to produce energy from wastewater onsite which is vast.
“Billions of litres of wastewater are created every day from industrial locations such as mine sites which require treatment before release. Mines are typically remote and require huge energy resources to sustain operations. The opportunity is for HFI's wind hydrogen production system to solve both problems."
HFI also revealed that ongoing tests on its one-metre prototype wind turbine in Montana, USA have been consistent with earlier computational and wind tunnel testing, suggesting its smaller design with a fitted cover offers a significant increase on conventional wind turbines with open rotors.
"Our technology development team has exceeded expectations in the delivery of sector-leading technologies,” said Blake.
“With our prototype wind turbine testing supporting energy gains of over 270% compared to open rotor configurations and early-stage electrolyser tests running at 97.1% efficiency, we have a lot to be excited about.”
Discussions are also ongoing as part of its collaboration with the University of Bristol, where HFI said it is anticipated that its electrolyser will be used in conjunction with the deployment of the Hydrogen Depleted Uranium Storage (HyDUS) project, where the university is working with EDF, Urenco and the UK Atomic Energy Authority.
HFI will be able to incorporate what it learns from the collaboration in ongoing electrolyser patent submissions, it said.
On Australian microgride, the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Capricorn Clean Energy Limited to help identify local project and partnering opportunities, particularly those related to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's regional microgrids programme established last August, where up to A$125 million of funding has been committed.
HFI also flagged progress at Tower Green Holdings, in which it took a 20% stake last January. As well as gaining media coverage for its Appledore onshore hydrogen production and refuelling project in north Devon, Tower is said to have also built a pipeline of other infrastructure projects throughout the southwest, including a road mobility project in Devon, and expects further project announcements to be made this year.