German technology conglomerate Siemens and UK green energy company Paragon Resources have entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly scale production of hydrogen using a novel process that reportedly eliminates the need for fossil fuels or external electricity sources.
Through the MoU, the companies seek to accelerate the global deployment of Paragon’s green hydrogen production technology to support energy-intensive industries.
It is understood that Paragon’s process produces hydrogen without electrolysis, methane reforming, or the need for carbon capture. By reacting treated, recycled aluminium with water in the presence of a catalyst, the process is said to yield hydrogen gas, aluminium hydroxide, which can be used in industrial applications and heat. As explained, this heat can be harnessed and converted into electricity. To note, the resulting aluminium hydroxide is reportedly produced with zero emissions and a minimal environmental footprint.
Under the new agreement, Siemens is expected to accelerate Paragon’s path from pilot and proof-of-concept work to industrial-scale deployment. Leveraging the Siemens Xcelerator open digital business platform, the collaboration aims to introduce automation, digital twin technology, and AI-driven process control to boost reactor efficiency, optimize thermal performance, enable remote operations, and bolster cybersecurity.
Andy Lane, Senior Commercial Manager of Siemens, stated: “Tackling the challenge of upscaling hydrogen production will be impossible without a willingness to collaborate. As a technology company, we have an integral role to play in supporting businesses such as Paragon Resources in developing, scaling and commercialising their innovative new processes and make a real impact. By integrating our automation and digitalisation expertise, we look forward to working with the team at Paragon to drive the creation of a robust hydrogen market for the UK that also supports other facets of sustainability including resource efficiency and circularity.”
Ian Calvert, CEO of Paragon Resources, commented: “Green hydrogen is set to play a pivotal role in the global energy transition, offering a scalable, zero-emission solution for hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry, chemicals and long-haul transport. Our mission is to enable a new standard for green hydrogen production: one that’s clean, efficient, and commercially viable without compromise. Siemens brings the industrial know-how and digital tools we need to rapidly move from pilot to full-scale deployment.”
In other news, it is worth mentioning that Siemens signed an MoU with Spanish renewable energy company RIC Energy to jointly develop projects in the fields of renewable hydrogen, green ammonia, and e-fuels in Spain. The agreement is said to foresee cooperation in both technical and financial aspects, including the potential development of joint solutions and the exploration of structured financing mechanisms for the projects.