On June 2–3, 2025, the HYIELD project brought its partners together in the stunning surroundings of Trondheim, Norway, for its 4th General Assembly. Hosted by SINTEF, the gathering kicked off in Lavollen—a beautifully preserved 17th-century site tucked within the tranquil Bymarka forest. With its rustic buildings, forest trails, and peaceful ambiance, Lavollen provided the perfect backdrop for technical discussions and collaborative spirit.
Day two took a more high-tech turn, as participants toured SINTEF’s cutting-edge CO₂ Lab and Catalysis & Biomass Conversion facilities. From breakthrough technologies to hands-on demonstrations, the group got a close look at the exciting research being done there.
Over the course of the two days, HYIELD partners shared updates on engineering milestones, feedstock experiments, and digital modelling—making real progress on our shared mission to transform bio-based innovation into sustainable impact.
About HYIELD
The HYIELD project aims to develop Europe’s first industrial-scale waste-to-hydrogen plant. It focuses on converting organic waste into clean hydrogen using advanced steam gasification, Water-Gas-Shift membrane reactors, low-pressure metal hydride storage, and AI-driven digital twins to optimize the process. The project will demonstrate this technology at a 3MW scale in a Spanish cement plant, with plans for broader replication across Europe. Key benefits include high hydrogen purity, significant energy efficiency, competitive hydrogen costs, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The project is carried out by a consortium from Spain, France, Germany, Norway, and Luxembourg.
While we wait for the construction permits to arrive, progress has been made in different fronts. Here is a short summary of some of our main achievements:
Technology progress
Engineering design
HYIELD continues to make strong progress in its engineering and testing phases. The process engineering has been completed, including solid conversion modelling for syngas production and yield predictions, while mechanical, civil and electrical engineering are underway. Basic engineering is finalized, and the plant layout is now divided into eight functional areas.
The system is already showing success as preliminary results have shown hydrogen content increase from 26% to more than 99%.
Feedstock characterisation
Significant progress in characterizing waste feedstocks has been made. So far, 27 samples from 14 different waste families have been analyzed, with a standout candidate—structurant from pruning waste—selected for long-term testing. The characterization plan includes both short- and long-run evaluations, while some samples were ruled out due to high moisture, contamination, or logistical hurdles. The selected structurant has shown excellent potential, with over 95% organic content and minimal impurities. Detailed analyses—covering composition, density, and particle size—are helping pinpoint the most reliable, high-performance feedstocks to power the next phase of the project.
Digital Twin
We have hit a key milestone with the completion of HYIELD’s digital twin (DT) architecture, featuring nine interconnected models covering everything from feedstock input to WGS yield. While data availability varies—especially for plasma and cleaning stages—the global model is designed to deliver critical performance insights. AI tools like neural networks and physics-informed models are already showing promise in predicting feedstock and syngas composition, particularly for carbon and oxygen. With more data, these models will power a smart, optimized waste-to-syngas system.
Inside SINTEF
On day two, HYIELD partners toured SINTEF’s CO₂ Lab and Catalysis & Biomass Conversion facilities—home to one of the largest pilot plants for solvent-based carbon capture using both synthetic and real flue gas. The site also features advanced rigs for testing solvent stability, emissions, and catalytic materials. In addition, the labs support biofuel upgrading and have recently launched a new electrochemistry unit. Guided by SINTEF experts, the group explored these cutting-edge spaces and gained firsthand insight into the technologies driving sustainable energy solutions.
Next steps
As partners return to work after a productive two-day event, preparations are already underway for the next meeting—set for January 2026 at Magtel’s facility in Córdoba. Over the next six months, new tasks will kick off: construction permits are expected by year’s end, digital twin development will continue with a focus on feedstock and gasification model optimization, as well as the start of its implementation, and feedstock characterization will advance to identify the best candidates for the demo site.
For further information, please contact:
Laia Mencia
+34 930 181 691
laia@inveniam-group.com
