Stargate Hydrogen, NextHeat partner to decarbonize industrial sector with green H2

Electrolyzer stacks and systems developer Stargate Hydrogen and NextHeat, an engineering company specializing in hydrogen combustion and process heat, have announced their strategic cooperation to develop innovative solutions for decarbonizing the industrial sector with green hydrogen by replacing natural gas used for industrial heat.

By integrating Stargate Hydrogen Stellar stack technology with a streamlined Balance of Plant system, the companies claim that their collaboration will pave the way for one of the first electrolyzers in the market that is specifically designed to provide carbon-free industrial heat.

The innovative electrolysis concept will be integrated with NextHeat's green energy procurement approach, compliant with RED II requirements for green hydrogen production, and NextHeat's hydrogen burners, according to the partners. This integration yields a comprehensive solution for industrial clients committed to achieving climate-neutral production, they add. 

"Stargate´s strategy is expansion via collaborations and the partnership with NextHeat allows us to delve into the innovative use case of hydrogen as industrial heat", said Marko Virkebau, CEO of Stargate. "Compared to other projects, this venture motivates us to design an electrolyzer system where the purity of hydrogen takes a backseat, while our primary focus lies on creating a robust and user-friendly solution with the best-levelized cost of hydrogen in mind". 

The partners claim that the solution is applicable to a wide range of processes requiring high-temperature heat. Some examples of the end application include aluminum melting ovens in the automotive industries, sintering processes in the ceramic industry, and glass melting in the glass industry.

Fernando Reichert, Founder of NextHeat, commented, "After conducting extensive market research, we have identified Stargate's technology as the perfect fit for our application, specifically in the utilization of hydrogen in industrial ovens". 

"Our collaboration with Stargate enables us to provide a comprehensive solution to our clients, empowering them to produce and utilize green hydrogen locally. This not only replaces fossil fuels but also paves the way for climate-neutral industrial production", he added. 

The partnership is also primed for scaling up the developed solution and ensuring the delivery of electrolyzer stacks for additional systems, contributing significantly to the growth of the green hydrogen industry. 

NextHeat plans to acquire stack units from Stargate Hydrogen from 2024 onwards, aiming to exceed 100 MW by 2028. The companies are eager to see the outcome of their collaboration, which promises to be pivotal in advancing hydrogen production technology and green industrial heat with NextHeat's innovative burner technology.