Raven SR Inc., a waste-to-fuels company, closed a $20-million strategic investment from Chevron USA, ITOCHU, Hyzon Motors and Ascent Hydrogen Fund. Raven SR plans to build modular waste-to-green hydrogen production units and renewable synthetic fuel facilities initially in California and then worldwide. (Earlier post.)

Raven SR’s technology makes it one of the only combustion-free, waste-to-hydrogen producers in the world. Raven SR’s Steam/CO₂ Reformation process—acquired from Intellergy in 2018—uses high-temperature super-heated steam—not pressurized—to cause rapid decomposition of the feedstock to create a hydrogen-rich syngas prior to hydrogen purification or the Fischer-Tropsch process.

In Steam CO₂ Reforming, there is no oxygen or air (i.e. 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases) added—instead it is evacuated from the process so there is zero combustion inside the rotary reformer. For this reason, the California EPA has determined that the Raven SR method is a non-combustion process (cf. 22 CCR § 66260.10 Definitions and 40 CFR § 260.10 Definitions).

Raven supplies all the needed endothermic heat from sources outside of the reformer by recycling waste heat and/or electrical heat up to 1,200°F (649 ˚C). Raven can also control the temperature gradient along the axis of the rotary reformer from 300 °F (149 ˚C) at the front up to 1,200°F at the exit end. This permits the control of the rotary reformer when there is water content or chemical makeup variation in the feedstock, such as in MSW.

Careful temperature control prevents glass and metals from melting and becoming slag, and produces a biocarbon which is a salable product. As a non-combustion process, there is no ash, no slag, build up, or hotspots in the equipment. Raven can also add small amounts of CO₂ to adjust the H₂/CO ratio in the process that is needed for FT fuel production.

Raven’s non-combustion waste-to-energy process produces hydrogen fuel compliant with SAE J2719 (“Hydrogen Fuel Quality for Fuel Cell Vehicles”). Raven SR’s process can also produce other renewable energy products such as synthetic liquid fuels (diesel, Jet A, mil-spec JP-8), additives and solvents (such as acetone, butanol, and naphtha) and electricity via microturbines.

Our investment with Raven SR underscores our commitment to help develop a commercially viable hydrogen value chain that can provide lower carbon energy solutions to a variety of sectors. This is an exciting opportunity to develop green hydrogen technology with partners in the Bay Area that can complement our existing hydrogen infrastructure at Chevron Richmond.

—Alice Flesher, general manager of Strategy and Planning for Chevron’s global Downstream & Chemicals businesses

The strategic investment comes after Raven and Hyzon Motors agreed to build up to 250 hydrogen production facilities across the United States and globally. Hyzon Motors, with US operations based in Rochester, NY, is a leading global supplier of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles.

Raven SR’s first renewable fuel production facilities will be built at landfills and will produce fuel for Northern California hydrogen fuel stations and for Hyzon’s hydrogen hubs. These initial facilities are expected to process approximately 200 tons of organic waste daily, yielding green hydrogen and producing on-site energy to be as autonomous as possible.

Raven SR’s units are modular and scalable and can easily be expanded to accommodate sites with higher hydrogen requirements. In addition to landfills, the production units can also be placed at wastewater treatment plants and agriculture sites.

Raven SR, headquartered in Wyoming, transforms biomass, mixed municipal solid waste, bio-solids, sewage, medical waste, and natural or biogas into renewable fuels. Using its proprietary, non-combustion, non-catalytic Steam/CO₂Reformation technology, Raven SR dependably produces a hydrogen-rich syngas regardless of feedstock utilized.