This post is a part of the Early Stage Climate Startup series from Climafix 2024
Highlights
- Hypersonic Technologie’s plasma pyrolysis produces clean hydrogen and carbon black from natural gas, hydrocarbons, and bio-derived fuels.
- Their approach is a low-carbon alternative to traditional production methods like steam methane reforming and electrolysis.
1. Value Proposition
- Hypersonic Technology’s plasma pyrolysis process provides a low-carbon and efficient hydrogen production alternative to steam methane reforming (SMR) and electrolysis. In addition to clean hydrogen, they also generate high-purity carbon black, a valuable by-product used in industries such as rubber manufacturing and electronics.
2. Pain Points
- Conventional hydrogen production methods emit enormous amount of CO₂ per ton of hydrogen and requires large amounts of electricity. Hypersonic’s technology offers a low-carbon more efficient alternative to solve these challenges by relying on natural gas and hydrocarbons as feedstock.
3. Climate Impact
- Hypersonic’s plasma pyrolysis technology produces hydrogen with minimal carbon emissions, offering a far cleaner alternative to conventional methods that emits upto 9–12 tons of CO₂ per ton of hydrogen. The emitted CO₂ in their process is converted into high-value carbon black, a versatile material used in industries such as tires, batteries, and construction.
4. Current & Future Target Segments
- Current Target Segment: Hypersonic Technologies is focused on building a pilot plant capable of producing 5 kg/hour of hydrogen and 15 kg/hour of carbon black, laying the groundwork for commercial-scale operations.
- Future Target Segment: By 2026, Hypersonic plans to scale its technology to produce 50 kg/hour of hydrogen, with the corresponding carbon black output, and expand into commercial applications.
5. USPs
- Proprietary Plasma Pyrolysis Technology: Hypersonic Technologie’s proprietary plasma pyrolysis process offers a unique combination of low carbon intensity and high-efficiency hydrogen (99% purity) production. They can use a variety of feedstocks, making it a flexible solution for different industries and geographies.
- Dual-Product Model (Hydrogen + Carbon Black): Unlike other hydrogen production methods, Hypersonic’s plasma pyrolysis generates two valuable products: clean hydrogen and carbon black.
6. Team Profile
- Prof. K. Jayaraman (Founder & CEO): Prof. K. Jayaraman, holds a Ph.D. from IIT Madras and brings over 20 years of experience in aerospace propulsion and advanced plasma technologies. With a robust background in plasma physics and its applications in both space and energy sectors, he has played a key role in the development of Hypersonic’s plasma pyrolysis technology.
- Dr. Jayakumar Venkatesan (Co-Founder & CTO): Dr. Jayakumar Venkatesan is a renowned astropreneur and a Ph.D. holder with a specialization in nano-satellite constellations and advanced propulsion systems. With over 15 years of experience in space technologies and clean energy systems, Dr. Venkatesan plays role in Hypersonic’s R&D efforts. His deep expertise in plasma-based energy conversion technologies has been useful in refining the company’s plasma pyrolysis reactors.