Startup Licenses DOE Hydrogen Conversion Tech

Knoxville, Tenn.-based Electro-Active Technologies Inc. is licensing two biorefinery technologies from the Dept. of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to create hydrogen fuel from food waste.

The technologies were developed by Electro-Active’s co-founders— Abhijeet Borole and Alex Lewis—when they worked at Oak Ridge. The DOE lab and the University of Tennessee’s Research Foundation jointly patented the systems.

The processes combine biology and electrochemistry to degrade organic waste—such as plant biomass or food waste—to produce hydrogen. The patented electrolysis method uses microbial electrolysis to break down such materials and extract electrons that are combined with protons to form hydrogen molecules.

Using food waste instead of biomass, which typically must be purchased, as the feedstock for the technology is less expensive and more environmentally friendly, according to Electro-Active. The company notes that as much as 40% of food produced in the world isn’t consumed, thus ends up in landfills that generate harmful methane gases.

Electro-Active says it is developing prototypes for modular waste conversion systems that the food industry can use onsite. The two-year-old startup also has joined the H2 Refuel Accelerator consortium, which is sponsored by Shell, Toyota and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

During his 20-year career at Oak Ridge, Borole led research on microbial fuel cells and electrolysis. Lewis, who is now CEO of Electro-Active, worked on Borole’s team as part of a doctoral program in energy science and engineering through at the University of Tennessee.