Mr. Bernard Tourillon reports

PATENT APPLICATION FILED FOR AN AUTONOMOUS, LOW-CARBON FOOTPRINT, ON-DEMAND PRESSURIZED HYDROGEN PRODUCTION SYSTEM. NO ELECTRICITY REQUIRED

HPQ Silicon Inc.'s Lyon-based, affiliated company, Novacium SAS, has filed a patent application for a low-carbon-footprint, chemical-based, on-demand and high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system.

The new hydrogen production system uses a chemical process to liberate hydrogen from specific low-cost, low-carbon footprint and non-hazardous alloys. Furthermore, the hydrogen produced by the chemical process directly reaches industry-standard pressure levels, typically ranging from 200 to 1,000 bars.

Harnessing hydrogen potential while eliminating limiting factors

Unlike traditional electrolysis-based hydrogen production systems, Novacium's process operates without the need for electricity, extensive storage and complex transportation infrastructure, offering a truly autonomous solution.

"This innovative approach aims to unlock the hydrogen stored in water using eco-friendly and low-cost alloys, providing an alternative, safe and efficient means of hydrogen production," said Oleksiy Nichiporuk, PhD, Novacium's chief technical officer (CTO). "We believe this system has the power to transform hydrogen's role as a clean energy source across various industries."

The dual-application process, designed for military and civilian uses, addresses a potential client's need for a low-carbon footprint, on-demand, high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system deployable anywhere globally, even under off-grid conditions, with safety as a top priority.

Plans to develop a prototype system

Novacium is currently engaged in discussions aiming to secure grant financing, from two potential clients, to cover 35 per cent to 75 per cent of the costs to deliver the first working prototype of the system by the end of 2024.

"The uniqueness of Novacium's hydrogen production system comes from the fact that its reimagines how to produce hydrogen simply and safely, reducing transportation needs, and therefore holds the potential to have significant implications for hydrogen's role as safe and clean energy on-site source in various industrial applications," said Bernard Tourillon, president and chief executive officer of Novacium SAS and HPQ Silicon.

Hydrogen: market and limiting factor

There is no doubt that hydrogen can play a significant role in decarbonizing the economy due to its zero-emission characteristics and high energy-to-weight ratio. However, as of 2021, less than one million tonnes (Mt) of hydrogen demand out of a total of 94 Mt came from low-emission sources, with the rest produced from unabated fossil fuels.

According to a Deloitte study, achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will require the development of a clean hydrogen market equivalent to 170 million tonnes (MtH2eq) by 2030, with projections reaching nearly 600 MtH2eq by 2050.

Despite the rapid growth in the pipeline of low-emission hydrogen production projects, few of them are advancing to the Financial Investment Decision (FID) stage. Most of these projects rely on electrolysis or fossil fuel with carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) for hydrogen production, which does not fully address the multiple challenges hindering hydrogen adoption.

"We are excited to announce the filing of this patent application combined with the quick and high market interest in our solution," said Jed Kraiem, PhD, Novacium chief operating officer (COO). "It marks a crucial step in our commitment to advancing sustainable and autonomous energy solutions."

About Novacium SAS

Novacium is green technology startup based in Lyon, France, started in Q3 2022. It is the result of a partnership between three of France's leading research engineers, Dr. Kraiem, Novacium's COO, Dr. Nichiporuk, Novacium's CTO, and Julien Degoulange, PhD, Novacium's chief innovation officer (CIO), who wanted to start a new research and development company to develop their own technology in high added value fields connected to renewable energy, and HPQ Silicon, a Canadian company, looking to expand the depth and reach of technical team in order to develop its silicon and new renewable energy projects.

About HPQ Silicon Inc.

HPQ Silicon is a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange Tier 1 industrial issuer. HPQ is developing, with the support of world-class technology partners PyroGenesis Canada Inc. and Novacium SAS, new green processes crucial to make the critical materials needed to reach net-zero emissions. HPQ activities are centred around the following five pillars:

1. Becoming a zero-CO2 low-cost (capex (capital expenditures) and opex (operating expenditures)) producer of high-purity silicon (2N+ to 4N) using its proprietary Purevap quartz reduction reactors (QRRs) being developed by PyroGenesis;
2. Becoming a producer of silicon-based anode materials for battery applications with the assistance of Novacium;
3. Becoming a green low-cost (capex and opex) producer of fumed silica using the company's proprietary fumed silica reactor being developed by PyroGenesis;
4. Developing a small and compact process for the on-demand production of hydrogen through hydrolysis of silicon and other materials;
5. Working to become the first producer of nanosilicon materials from high-purity silicon chunks using the company's proprietary Purevap nanosilicon reactor (NSiR) being developed by PyroGenesis.

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