Member - Hydragas Energy Limited

We founded Hydragas Energy in Canada in 2018 to develop a nature-based Solution. We are a cleantech developer based on innovative technology enabling bio-methane extraction from water bodies. Our R&D started 2002 in Africa, developing our IP. We completed feasibility studies and pilot-tested it before coming to Canada. We're raising $35M to design-build a demo-scale project for proof-of-performance in-situ. Our IP deploys deeply submerged autosiphons with multi-stage gas-water and gas-gas separation to recover methane. A purpose-designed extraction plant recovers bio-CH4 from deep lakes like Kivu. Bio-CH4 constitutes 20% of gas content, the balance being 80% CO2. It can also harvest permafrost methane from deep Arctic waters and certain aquifers, each requiring an adapted design of plant. The patented technology works for specific gas-rich water bodies, up to oceanic scale. Resources can be remote, like this one Great Lake in Africa, with many Arctic areas where permafrost-sourced methane seeps occur. The combination of these sources increasingly emits many gigatons of carbon annually. Our company started as a renewable natural gas (RNG) solutions provider. We are advancing to TRL8 capability with this demo, to prove scaled-up IP for methane gas extraction at this amenable site. We prefer to scale up our business by investing in BOO IPP plants on Lake Kivu. This approach secures long-term returns from the IP, in preference to equipment sales. But this also allows us to continue with our long-term promise of keeping the community safe. We fulfill our purpose better by retaining the production capacity rather than selling up to third parties. We will ensure that a pure profit motive never compromises our capability and our core intent to ensure safety and environmental benefits. We can ensure that we deliver strong profitability for investors, while we continue to deliver the suite of energy and safety benefits to all community stakeholders. Hydragas aims to produce pipeline gas and gas-to-power at better rates than all locally competing fuels. Our first series of 12 projects on Lake Kivu is a $50 Billion revenue opportunity over 50 years, with 30+% IRR. By eliminating the chance of a gas eruption, we can avert more than 2 Gt of carbon emissions. We do not yet account for revenue from the carbon emissions reduction in these returns. We similarly claim no credit for the reduction of deforestation that has consumed 80% of the equatorial forest that covered the region 100 years ago. This project can displace firewood and charcoal that currently provides 80% of domestic and industrial fuel to the regional populace. In preventing a major gas eruption, we also prevent millions of lives lost from a one-day catastrophic event. Casualties, that would most likely occur, come from the consequent toxic gas cloud released. A full-scale event will fill the Kivu valley with a dense 500 cubic kilometer gas cloud. Power production anchors our off-take and is the economic value driver. Pipeline gas usage will grow organically, complementing electrical power's instant impact on the market. It provides cheaper energy than firewood. We describe in posts on the website the impact of the project in the region, addressing 15 of 17 SDGs. For the Kivu provinces in DRC and for Rwanda, gas and power thus provide lower overall cost of energy across all socio-economic strata, not just for a wealthier stratum. Lake Kivu is a natural CCS. We can enhance it to being a giant, natural CCUS by producing up to 1200 MWe indefinitely. Half is from hydro power by other developers, half our gas-to-power. Industry experts recognize our IP and design as the best available to achieve the output, a real technological breakthrough. Hydragas is a top enabler of gas-harvest from water. Our capabilities and designs are ahead of our peers. Our IP provides the peak harvesting potential, up by 3-4 times, with lowest cost of production. Crucially we comply to all 14 technical requirements rules for use of the lake. Ours is a timely, major, impact investment with a commitment that lasts for 50 years and beyond.