Brightsite has announced the spin-out Thoriant, focused on the commercial development of advanced plasma technology for the production of emission-free hydrogen and acetylene from methane. Hans Linden, manager of the program line ‘Emission Reduction through Electrification’, made the announcement during the NXTGEN High-Tech Conference on March 12 in Utrecht.
Thoriant has emerged from an intensive research and development program in plasma technology by Brightsite. The name of the start-up is a fusion of ‘Thor’, the Norse god of lightning, reflecting the electrical nature of plasma, and ‘giant’, symbolizing the significant impact the company aims to have on the energy transition within the industry.
“The name Thoriant is now officially registered, and we are ready to bring our plasma technology to the market.”
Hans Linden, manager of the ‘Emission Reduction through Electrification’ program line
The innovative technology of Thoriant, developed at the Brightsite Plasmalab, breaks the C-H bonds in methane to produce hydrogen and acetylene. These chemicals are crucial for the production of, among other things, vinyl chloride and ethylene, widely used materials in various industries. Unique to Thoriant’s process is that it is entirely powered by green electricity and produces no emissions. This offers a sustainable alternative to traditional production methods. In the future, it is even possible that fuel gases from electrified naphtha steam crackers could be used as raw materials, instead of natural gas.
Hansen Linden, manager of Brightsite’s ‘Emission Reduction through Electrification’ program, announced the spin-out during the NXTGEN High-Tech Conference on March 12, 2024, in Utrecht. “The name Thoriant is now officially registered, and we are ready to bring our plasma technology to the market,” Linden stated.
The Brightsite Plasmalab involves Brightsite, Maastricht University, and the Brightlands Chemelot Campus.
The Brightsite Plasmalab is a collaboration between Brightsite, Maastricht University, and the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, serving as the epicenter for optimizing plasma technologies. As part of the ‘Emission Reduction through Electrification’ program line, the lab aims to significantly reduce the chemical industry’s CO₂ emissions by utilizing sustainable electricity in processes and installations. With contributions from partners like UM, TNO, Sitech Services, students, and the business sector, the Plasmalab focuses on refining existing technologies and developing innovative plasma processes for both current improvements and fundamental research, with the goal of scaling these to industrial applications.
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