FortisBC and VulcanX Energy, a start-up tracing its origins from UBC’s MéridaLabs, announced a funding agreement in August 2024 that would set the pair toward the continued development of hydrogen pyrolysis technology. Their goal is to produce both zero-emission hydrogen energy and solid carbon from natural methane gas—and at a low cost to boot.

Hold on, can you repeat all that a little slower?

No, sudden intruding authorial voice, I can’t.

Can you at least tell me what the hell hydrogen pyrolysis technology is?

Well, since you asked so nicely.

As its name might suggest, pyrolysis is a process that involves the use of heat to separate hydrogen and carbon atoms from natural methane gas. The methane utilized in the process, when passed through thermal energy, is split.

The chemical bond between atoms breaks, separating the two elements into gaseous hydrogen and a solid carbon product, such as graphite. 

Whatever negligible portion of methane that remains depends on the efficiency of the facilities used.

Pretty simple, right?

I guess. But why should I care about hydrogen energy?

Great question. Let’s go over some of the positives to start.

When used for energy, hydrogen gas emits little to no carbon dioxide. Hydrogen is a widely accessible element. Only about 75 percent of the entire mass of the universe is hydrogen, after all. And once separation methods are perfected, its abundance will make it easily acquired. 

Finally, and arguably the most important when speaking in terms of energy–along with its universal abundance—hydrogen is renewable.

On the contrary, with where technology currently stands, the production of hydrogen gas for the purpose of energy is costly. The storage and transportation of it is difficult, and current infrastructure (or lack thereof) creates a challenging barrier to adapt or advance the technology in a reasonable time frame.

And isn’t hydrogen gas also incredibly flammable?

That’s right, my disembodied friend. Hydrogen gas is famously explosive and requires great care to avoid any potential accidents. Although, I wouldn’t anticipate that the provincial government, FortisBC, or VulcanX intend to store hydrogen in anything as reckless as a flying airship in the future.

Regardless, do the pros outweigh the cons?

It’s hard to say. Hydrogen energy is seen by many as a path towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious energy source for BC and, per FortisBC, another way to support the CleanBC plan.

Now wait a second, what the hell is CleanBC?

I’m glad you asked, convenient inner dialogue.

In short, CleanBC is the provincial government’s plan to lower emissions by 40 percent by 2030. The plan is a simultaneously optimistic and, unfortunately, likely insufficient strategy to help tackle the ever-looming threat of climate change in our province.

Regardless of their efficacy, initiatives like CleanBC should often be at the forefront of every VIU student and The Navigator reader’s mind.

Tackling climate change starts with exploring sources of renewable energy, whether it be through hydrogen pyrolysis or through other possible means. We each have an obligation to be informed on our options, to fight for the best long-term environmental solutions, and to stop killing the Earth that so graciously hosts us. 

And so, with CleanBC in mind, FortisBC is presently exploring three different methods of hydrogen gas production: green, blue, and turquoise hydrogen.

This colourful naming convention divides the methods as such:

Green hydrogen uses renewable electricity to split hydrogen and oxygen from water through a process called electrolysis.

Blue hydrogen uses a method called steam reforming to separate hydrogen from natural gases, creating carbon dioxide as a by-product. This then needs to be captured and stored.

Turquoise hydrogen is what FortisBC and VulcanX’s hydrogen pyrolysis technology falls under.

Frequent questions have risen about the sustainability of both green and blue hydrogen production. They take an immense amount of energy and resources—both natural and financial—whereas turquoise, despite its flaws, is seen as a cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient option.

It remains to be seen what VulcanX ultimately does with FortisBC’s financial support.

Could turquoise hydrogen gas harnessed from methane pyrolysis technology be the future of renewable energy in BC? It seems like a no-brainer to me.