Our society generates over 2 billion tons of solid waste in a single year. Most of this waste ends up in landfills, which globally is the most common disposal method.
As landfills grow, their ecological footprint becomes increasingly significant. They are responsible for emitting a high amount of methane, which is 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2. These methane and CO2 emissions from landfills contribute to global warming.
Landfills also cause problems for municipalities: they occupy valuable land and areas for territorial planning, and they produce a substantial amount of harmful gases and liquids. They are also sources of visual and odor pollution.
The Madeiran startup Floating Particle has developed an innovative waste management and clean energy production solution, leveraging the high energy potential of waste.
Their main product, Stella, uses cutting-edge gasification technology to convert pre-conditioned waste into hydrogen, revolutionizing current waste management processes and reducing their environmental impact.
The solution has been announced for Cascais, the municipality where it will be implemented, with hydrogen consumption intended for use in buses. According to Diogo Soares, technical director of Floating Particles, in statements to Welectric, the equipment is currently being built and is expected to be delivered to Cascais by July or August.
Floating Particle received funding from Portugal Ventures, one of the main venture capital entities in Portugal, in mid-2023.
“By producing hydrogen through waste gasification, we address two problems simultaneously: we reduce landfills and their negative impacts, and we produce clean energy,” says the startup.
“At Floating Particle, we work with plasma pyrolysis, which we consider to be the most effective gasification process for hydrogen production from waste. Floating Particle’s technology for hydrogen production through waste gasification is optimized for the type of waste found in small communities,” they point out.
2 ∙ The reactor receives air and separates it into N2 and O2. The N2 is injected into the system, initiating the gasification process
3 ∙ Hydrogen and other products, such as Biochar and O2 are produced
4 ∙ The hydrogen produced can be used to produce electricity, or for direct consumption such as in thermochemical processes, and transport supply.
For its creators, the system is “simple and adaptable,” “affordable and sustainable,” making it “an excellent solution for small cities, towns, and also for developing countries.”
By implementing their methodology, a municipality can gain “a self-sufficient response to waste management issues,” emphasizes Floating Particle.
Stella processes 8 tons of pre-conditioned waste, equivalent to more than three adult African elephants in weight. From these waste materials, Stella produces 800 kilograms of ultra-pure hydrogen.
“By transforming these wastes into something valuable, we are reducing landfill waste and its environmental impact,” says the company.
The hydrogen produced in Stella can be used to generate 24 MWh of energy in just one day. This is enough energy to power 67 buses, each traveling a distance of 250 km, according to the company.
The benefits of using the STELLAg-40 waste to hydrogen gasification technology
∙ It only needs waste, air, and a very small amount of water to enter the system
∙ All the tar from the gasification is treated and further converted into hydrogen ∙ The system is energy self-sufficient
∙ The outcome of gasification is biochar and hydrogen
∙ The generated hydrogen can be converted into electricity
∙ Produces close to 0 emissions
296 kg/h of biomass and pre-conditioned waste
The Stellag-40 system has the capacity to process 296 kg/h of biomass and pre-conditioned waste, operating 24 hours a day, 350 days a year, with an annual processing capacity of approximately 2486.4 tons of waste.
According to Diogo Soares, the lifespan of the Stella machine will be 15 years.
Stella’s gasification process can produce 30.17 kg/h of hydrogen. The hydrogen can be converted into electricity and used for the system’s self-consumption. The remaining hydrogen can be sold, generating revenue and profits. “The other products resulting from the process, namely biocoal and O2, are also valuable in the market and can also be sources of income,” says the startup.
Diogo Soares, the Floating Particle spokesperson, explains to Welectric that talks are already underway with three other municipalities, although they have not yet disclosed which ones. The hydrogen produced in these municipalities can be used in mobility or as a substitute for natural gas.
Another step under consideration by the company is scaling the current production capacity to meet the desired business growth. The scenarios include installing a Stella machine production factory on the mainland or expanding facilities in Funchal. The decision has not been made yet.
Floating Particle is eyeing internationalization, with the Brazilian market currently being the top priority.
