According to a recent article from Forbes.com, a proposed plant in Lancaster, California would convert plastics and recycled paper into biogas creating green hydrogen that could then be used to power electricity and transportation. It would be the largest plant of this kind in the world. Forbes notes that “Hydrogen is a key pillar when it comes to running a decarbonized economy — a fuel that can power both the electricity and transportation sectors”.

The company responsible for the proposed plant (awaiting funding) is SGH2 Energy Global. It says that “its technology reduces carbon emissions two-to-three times more than green-hydrogen produced using electrolysis and renewable energy”. SGH2 also claims that its technology is five-to-seven times cheaper than traditional green hydrogen. SGH2’s green hydrogen is cost-competitive with “grey” hydrogen that is produced from fossil fuels which is what makes up most of the hydrogen in use now.

“The plant​ will produce as much as 11,000 kilograms of green hydrogen per day, and 3.8 million kilograms per year”, Robert Do, an executive with SGH2 says. Forbes points put that that is nearly three times more than any existing or planned green hydrogen facility. The complex hopes to “process 40,000 tons of waste annually, mostly supplied by the city of Lancaster, which will save it $50-$75 per ton in landfill-related costs.”