HiTES produces green hydrogen from biomass residues via allothermal steam reforming.
HiTES Holding GmbH
An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-RosenbergNew on Amplifa
About HiTES Holding GmbH
HiTES Holding GmbH is a start-up founded in 2021 in Sulzbach-Rosenberg that develops, plans, builds, sells and operates plants for producing green hydrogen from biomass. The technology is based on allothermal steam reforming: dried biomass residues such as forestry wood residues, treetop wood, green cuttings, waste wood, agricultural waste, straw or digestion residues are converted into synthesis gas in a counterflow gasifier roughly ten meters high at 1200 °C, from which hydrogen is separated at the highest purity. By-products such as CO and methane are used internally for steam generation and biomass drying, achieving an efficiency of 75 percent; electricity demand, at around 10 kWh per kilogram of H2, is significantly lower than that of electrolysis plants. The process was tested from 2007 to 2013 with a pilot plant for BtL production (Fischer-Tropsch synthesis) and has been considered mature since 2014. The patented processes were developed in cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT. The company names the steel industry, refineries, the chemical industry (e.g. fertilizers) and the mobility sector as target industries; the hydrogen is to be produced decentrally at the point of demand.
- Site
- Sulzbach-Rosenberg
- Processes
- Biomass gasification / allothermal steam reforming for the production of green hydrogen (H2), Hydrogen production from biomass (gasification into synthesis gas, subsequent separation of H2,, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for the production of synthetic fuel (BtL, 2nd generation) –, Development, planning, construction, sale and operation of hydrogen production plants, Hydrogen production by means of allothermal steam reforming with biomass energy, Electricity storage, Construction of modular standard plants
- Materials
- Forestry wood residues, Green cuttings, Waste wood, Treetop wood (freshly cut), Digestion residues, Agricultural waste, Straw, Nuts
- Certificates
- Patent applications (DPMA)
- Founded
- 2021 (Febr
- Employees
- 8
- Industries
- Energy/Hydrogen, Transport/Mobility (buses, trucks), Steel industry, Refineries, Chemical industry/Fertilizers, Chemical industry/Fertilizers
- 01
Receipt of biomass residues from forestry and agriculture
- 02
Drying (belt dryer) and processing into wood chips
- 03
Gasification in the counterflow gasifier at 1200 °C into synthesis gas
- 04
Separation of hydrogen from the gas mixture
- 05
Internal use of by-products (CO, methane) for steam and heat generation
- 06
Sale of H2 at the production site
Raw Materials & Processes
Allothermal steam reforming
Hydrogen production by gasification of biomass into synthesis gas at 1200 °C with subsequent H2 separation.
Counterflow gasifier
Tower-shaped reactor (approx. 10 m high) for various biomass residues.
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Former pilot plant use (2007–2013) for producing synthetic fuel (BtL, 2nd generation).
Forestry wood residues
Main raw material including bark beetle wood, branches and tree crowns from sustainable forestry.
Green cuttings, digestion residues, waste wood, agricultural waste, straw
Further use of recovery biomass without competition with food production.
Locations
Sulzbach-Rosenberg
DEHeadquarters / planned demonstration plant
- Lot size
- Demonstration plant: 4 t/h biomass input, 400 kg/h H2, at least 6,000
- Materials
- Wood residues, green cuttings, waste wood, agricultural waste, digestion residues, straw
- Counterflow gasifier (tower shape, approx. 10 m high, gasification at 1200 °C)
- Belt dryer for biomass
- Pilot plant (operated 2007–2013)
- Demonstration plant for H2 production (planned, commissioning spring 2027)
Products & Plants
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomass gasification / allothermal steam reforming for the production of green hydrogen (H2)Engineering | – | – | Biomass input 4 t/h (atro) | – | Forestry wood residues, Treetop wood (freshly cut), Green cuttings, Digestion residues, Waste wood, Agricultural waste, Straw, Nuts, Wood chips |
| Hydrogen production from biomass (gasification into synthesis gas, subsequent separation of H2,Engineering | – | – | Biomass input 4 t/h (atro), 24.000 t/a | H2 production 400 kg/h / 2.400 t/a – Demonstration plant: at least 1200 t | Wood residues, Bark beetle wood, Branches, Tree crowns, Green cuttings, Digestion residues, Waste wood, Agricultural waste, Straw, Nuts |
| Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for the production of synthetic fuel (BtL, 2nd generation) –Engineering | – | – | – | – | Biomass |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counterflow gasifier (tower shape, approx. 10 m high, gasification at 1200 °C) | HiTES | – | – | – | Sulzbach-Rosenberg (planned) |
| Pilot plant for hydrogen production / BtL production (allothermal steam reforming) | HiTES | – | – | betrieben | Sulzbach-Rosenberg |
| Demonstration plant for H2 production (capacity 400 kg/h H2, biomass input 4 t/h atro) | HiTES | 1 | – | IBN geplan | Sulzbach-Rosenberg |
| Belt dryer for biomass | – | – | – | – | – |
| Standard plant in modular design (twice the capacity of the demonstration plant) | HiTES | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Patents
The process technology was tested in pilot operation from 2007 to 2013 and further developed in cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Patent applications have been filed with the DPMA for the process and the device for hydrogen production as well as for converting chemical energy into heat and electrical energy.
| Evidence | Sulzbach-Rosenberg |
|---|---|
| Patent applications (DPMA) |
History
- 2007–2013
Testing and operation of the process with a pilot plant (2nd-generation BtL, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis)
- 2014
Process considered mature according to the interview; falling oil price initially prevented market interest
- 2021
Founding of HiTES Holding GmbH by Dr. Dragan Stevanovic, Herbert Schmidt and Markus Rösch; development cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT; patent applications
- 2027
Commissioning of the demonstration plant in Sulzbach-Rosenberg planned (spring)