A fantastic opportunity
Sweden currently lacks own production of hydrocarbons, like, for example, natural gas. The resources that are required within transport and industry are imported. A transition to carbon-dioxide free alternatives is ongoing in many areas but are not possible to achieve everywhere in the short term. For example, many critical industries are dependent on using hydrocarbons in their production processes. This also applies to the transport sector.
A lot of work is ongoing in Sweden to facilitate a transition to hydrogen, for example within iron and steel production, which is dependent on using coal. Hydrogen can be produced in three different ways – steam reforming of methane, pyrolysis of methane and electrolysis of water.
Steam reforming of methane (SMR) is the conventional method of producing hydrogen. By heating up the methane molecule (CH4) adding oxygen (O2), it is split into hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The disadvantage of this method is that it also produces CO2.
Pyrolysis is a process where the molecule is split without adding any oxygen, as in SMR. This can be achieved either through very high temperatures, or by adding catalysts, or by bombarding the molecule with electrons. What remains afterwards is pure carbon and hydrogen.
Electrolysis of water is the most energy intensive of the three processes. It requires more than four times as much energy as pyrolysis. Its advantage is that water is freely available, and that it produces no CO2 emissions, if using green electricity.
We are cooperating with scientists from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg to measure how much methane is released naturally from cracks in the rock that underlies the Siljan Ring. From previous activities, we have a bore hole outside Mora capable of producing methane (temporarily sealed).
Methane is used in Sweden both within transport (for example as shipping fuel in the form of LNG) and in some industrial processes. This methane is currently imported.
Steel production is dependent on adding a certain amount of carbon in the process. This applies also if replacing coal as a furnace fuel with hydrogen. The energy can be replaced by hydrogen but not the carbon as a chemical compound added to the steel itself. This means that without local production of LNG and carbon, both products have to be imported. The Siljan ring can offer carbon dioxide free carbon to industry, together with carbon dioxide free hydrogen, which can replace both coal and other carbon-based fuels. These products will be local, reduce import needs and contribute to Sweden’s self-sufficiency. Since June 2024, we have a cooperation agreement with Norwegian SEID AS, that has developed a technology for energy-efficient carbon-dioxide free pyrolysis of methane into carbon and hydrogen.
More information about SEID’s technology ColdSpark®, is available here: www.SEID.no.
This is a fantastic opportunity, that enables us to
Produce pure carbon in different qualities and for a wide variety of applications
Produce carbon-dioxide free hydrogen at a competitive price
Develop technologies and know-how that Sweden does not yet have
Provide a local source of hydrocarbon energy that can be accessed in times of national crisis or war
Contribute to reducing the natural emissions from the Siljan Ring by accessing the reserves from below.