B&W’s BrightLoop to be used in Korean hydrogen generation project

Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), a provider of energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets, announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with waste processing and alternative fuel specialist NRG Korea to study the applicability of B&W’s BrightLoop technology for a hydrogen generation facility in South Korea. The proposed project would use biomass as a feedstock to produce hydrogen for fuel cells used for electrical generation.

The BrightLoop process has been demonstrated to effectively separate CO2 while producing hydrogen, steam and/or syngas. (Photo: Babcock & Wilcox)

BrightLoop chemical looping technology is part of B&W’s ClimateBright suite of decarbonization and hydrogen technologies, designed to work with an array of feedstock such as natural gas, biomass, petroleum coke, coal, municipal solid waste and syngas for both new and retrofit applications. The technologies have application in industries including energy production, food manufacturing, steel, cement, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, carbon black and pulp and paper.

The BrightLoop process uses a proprietary regenerable particle with physical characteristics that allow it to react to various feedstocks. It has been demonstrated to effectively separate CO2 while producing hydrogen, steam and/or syngas, B&W stated, and it is now ready for commercial scale-up. It can be economically adapted to large and small installations in a range of applications.

“B&W’s BrightLoop technology is a cutting-edge solution for hydrogen generation from virtually any fuel stock and, depending on a customer’s needs, also can be used to isolate CO2 for capture or use, and produce steam or syngas. BrightLoop is a flexible solution with a wide array of potential applications,” said Joe Buckler, B&W senior vice president, Clean Energy.

“NRG Korea is excited to be cooperating with Babcock & Wilcox, a world-renowned technology leader, in the development of this unique and innovative energy project,” Jay Kim, CEO, NRG Korea, commented. “We see this project as a significant development in the renewable energy space by generating clean electrical power using green hydrogen produced from a renewable waste-based fuel.”