Waste-to-Hydrogen, $10B UK Deal, and Plug’s Big Win – Hydrogen Is Heating Up

In today’s episode of The Hydrogen Podcast, Paul Rodden covers three powerful developments reshaping the hydrogen economy:

♻️ Raven SR’s Revolutionary Waste-to-Hydrogen Tech
🇬🇧 UK & Japan’s $10 Billion Hydrogen Investment Deal
🔗 Plug Power’s Strategic Supply Chain Expansion

We break down:

✅ How Raven SR’s non-combustion steam reforming hits 95% cold gas efficiency
 ✅ What the UK’s £7.5B deal with Sumitomo means for hydrogen and offshore wind
 ✅ Why Plug Power’s extended hydrogen supply contract could stabilize pricing and drive growth
 ✅ The economics behind waste-to-H2 vs. electrolysis
 ✅ The emerging global trend of replacing hydrocarbons across the hydrogen value chain

From landfills to liquid hydrogen and megaproject investments, this episode connects the dots on how innovation, capital, and infrastructure are aligning to accelerate the energy transition.

📈 Whether you’re in hydrogen, renewables, logistics, or policy—this one’s packed with insights.

Transcript

Today we’ll review three major stories shaping the global hydrogen sector: Raven SR’s innovative waste-to-hydrogen technology, the UK’s landmark clean energy investment deal with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, and Plug Power’s strategic hydrogen supply expansion. We’ll focus on the economics, the technological breakthroughs, and what these moves mean for the future of hydrocarbons and hydrogen.  All of this on today hydrogen podcast

Our first story centers on Raven SR and their proprietary approach to producing hydrogen from organic waste. This technology stands out for its two-stage, non-combustion steam reforming process powered by indirect electric heating. Unlike traditional methods, Raven SR’s process is highly adaptable to local waste streams because it can process a wide range of organic materials—biosolids, wood, paper, and even plastics. The efficiency of this process is particularly impressive, with cold gas efficiency reaching 95%, a significant improvement over the 65–75% typically seen in traditional pyrolysis and gasification. This means more hydrogen can be produced per ton of waste, with less energy lost along the way.

The process also minimizes emissions and pollutants by keeping oxygen levels below 2%, which limits the formation of harmful byproducts like dioxins. In addition, it produces biochar, a stable, carbon-rich byproduct that can be sequestered or used to enhance soil carbon content, thereby supporting negative carbon emissions. Another noteworthy aspect is that up to 60% of the system’s electrical needs can be met with on-site landfill gas, further improving the carbon intensity profile of the hydrogen produced.

From an economic perspective, the impact is significant. In Los Angeles County, nine waste processing facilities could generate about 90,000 tons of renewable hydrogen annually—enough to fuel roughly 9,000 heavy-duty fuel cell trucks and avoid up to 790,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year. Raven SR’s Richmond Project in California is their first commercial-scale facility, designed to process up to 100 tons of organic waste daily and produce about 2,000 metric tons of hydrogen annually. The modular design allows for scalable deployment, and the hydrogen purity—at 99.999%—makes it suitable for both mobility and industrial applications. The economics are robust: the facility doubles the hydrogen output compared to using the same energy for electrolysis.

On the regulatory front, Raven SR navigated complex permitting processes under California’s strict environmental and recycling laws. The project creates high-quality jobs and sets a new benchmark for sustainable hydrogen production, reducing dependence on landfills and hydrocarbons.

Next, we turn to the UK, where the government has secured a £7.5 billion, or $10 billion, investment deal with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation. This is one of the largest clean energy commitments in recent years, targeting offshore wind and hydrogen infrastructure through 2035. This deal represents a major vote of confidence in the UK’s clean energy sector, especially as the country seeks to reposition itself post-Brexit. The agreement is not just about capital; it’s about long-term certainty for investors and the alignment of corporate ambition with government policy.

A significant portion of the investment is earmarked for hydrogen projects, supporting the UK’s ambition to become a “clean energy superpower.” This includes new hydrogen production facilities and infrastructure to support the growing demand for low-carbon fuels. Economically, the investment is expected to create high-value jobs and stimulate further private sector investment. It’s also designed to address supply chain constraints, enabling faster deployment of critical infrastructure.

The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy are central to this deal, aiming to make it easier for businesses to invest and to provide the stability needed for long-term planning. Sumitomo’s commitment signals that global capital is flowing into hydrogen and renewables, and that hydrocarbons are increasingly being replaced by cleaner alternatives in national energy strategies.

Our third story focuses on Plug Power and their recent multi-year hydrogen supply agreement extension. Plug Power, a leader in hydrogen solutions, has secured a new deal with a major U.S. industrial gas company, extending their strategic partnership through 2030. The new agreement delivers immediate cost savings on liquid hydrogen, directly improving Plug Power’s margins and cash flows.

Currently, Plug Power operates hydrogen plants in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana, with a combined capacity of 40 tons per day. The company plans to launch over 40 new sites in 2025, expanding their ability to serve more than 275 customer sites across the U.S. Plug Power is pursuing a hybrid approach—expanding its own production while securing supply contracts to meet rising demand and avoid bottlenecks. This flexibility is crucial as the hydrogen market scales up. The agreement also comes as new U.S. legislation supports clean hydrogen development, providing further momentum for the sector’s growth. The deal strengthens Plug Power’s domestic hydrogen network, supports the growth of their applications business, and positions the company to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding customer base—all while reducing reliance on hydrocarbons.

Let’s step back and compare the technological approaches shaping the hydrogen sector. Each company addresses a different part of the hydrogen value chain—production from waste, infrastructure development, and supply chain optimization.

Raven SR is revolutionizing hydrogen production by turning landfill waste into a high-value resource, using a flexible and highly efficient process that minimizes emissions and produces useful byproducts. Their non-combustion steam reforming of organic waste stands out for its high efficiency, flexible feedstock, and scalability, while also diverting waste, producing biochar, and keeping emissions low.

Sumitomo’s UK partnership exemplifies how strategic investment can accelerate the build-out of hydrogen infrastructure, create jobs, and provide the certainty needed for further private sector participation. By investing in wind and hydrogen infrastructure at a national scale, Sumitomo is enabling large-scale capital deployment and job creation, while accelerating the transition from hydrocarbons and supporting the UK’s net zero goals.

Plug Power, meanwhile, is optimizing the hydrogen supply chain, reducing costs, and ensuring reliable delivery to a growing customer base. Their focus on hydrogen supply and network expansion is delivering immediate cost reductions and supply security, supporting clean hydrogen adoption, and further reducing hydrocarbon reliance.

The economics of hydrogen are changing fast. The stories we’ve discussed today highlight several key trends. First, technologies like Raven SR’s are making it possible to produce hydrogen efficiently from local waste streams, reducing both costs and emissions. Second, major deals like the UK-Sumitomo partnership are unlocking the capital needed to build out hydrogen infrastructure at scale, creating jobs and supporting economic growth. Third, companies like Plug Power are building resilient supply chains, ensuring reliable hydrogen delivery while driving down costs. And finally, supportive regulatory frameworks are proving crucial, whether it’s California’s environmental standards or the UK’s industrial strategy.

The transition from hydrocarbons to hydrogen isn’t just about technology—it’s about economics, policy, and the ability to deliver real value across the supply chain.

Alright, that’s it for me, everyone.  If you have a second, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a good review on whatever platform you listen to. Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, YouTube, etc. That would be a tremendous help to the show. And as always if you ever have any feedback, you are welcome to email me directly at info@thehydrogepodcast.com. So until next time, keep your eyes up and honor one another.