Reformed Carbon 2: Raven SR From Landfill To Hydrogen Riches
In the second article of the Reformed Carbon series, we meet Raven SR, which core technology is a proprietary, non-combustion, non-catalytic steam reforming process engineered to convert a wide array of organic waste into clean hydrogen-rich gas. Unlike traditional thermal conversion methods such as incineration, gasification, or pyrolysis—which typically rely on combustion, oxygen input, or catalytic beds—Raven SR's two-stage process is driven by indirect electric heating, offering superior control over reaction conditions and emissions. This method is thermally efficient, feedstock-flexible, and especially well-suited for decentralized, modular waste-to-hydrogen installations.
In a June 2025 report 'Transforming Waste Biomass into Clean Hydrogen: A Sustainable Path for Los Angeles and California,' the Green Hydrogen Coalition examines opportunities to produce hydrogen from biomass through non-combustion thermal conversion (NCTC) solutions in Los Angeles County, California. The analysis highlights landfill biosolids, wood, and paper waste as high-potential organic feedstocks. The study identifies nine existing waste processing facilities as candidate sites for NCTC deployment, with a combined processing capacity of 1.125 million tons of organic biomass—approximately one-third of the county's total annual organic waste. At full capacity, these facilities could produce an estimated 90,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year, sufficient to power roughly 9,000 Class 8 fuel cell trucks. The environmental impact would be significant: diverting biomass from landfills and reducing diesel combustion could prevent approximately 520,000 tons and 790,000 tons of CO₂ emissions, respectively. In this Reformed Carbon series of articles, we will examine whether Raven SR's technology might offer a sound solution here.
Richmond Project
The Richmond Project is Raven SR's first commercial-scale deployment of its proprietary, non-combustion waste-to-hydrogen technology. Located at the Republic Services' West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill in Richmond, California, north of San Francisco. The facility represents a pivotal advancement in the transition to renewable hydrogen and low-carbon fuels. This project integrates Raven SR's patented Steam/CO₂ reformation process, one of the world's only non-combustion pathways for converting organic waste into hydrogen, with a modular and scalable facility design that maximizes operational efficiency and sustainability.
The project is jointly owned 50/50 by Raven SR and Chevron Renewable Energy Group, following the exit of earlier partner Hyzon Motors. The total project cost has grown from its original estimate of $50 million to approximately $75 million, with around half already spent on equipment. The increase in cost is attributed to inflation, permitting delays, and project scope adjustments.
The facility is engineered to process up to 100 tons of organic waste per day, sourced locally from Republic Services. This feedstock includes mixed commercial waste with high organic content—such as green waste, and other carbon-rich materials. The output will include up to approximately 5.5 metric tons of renewable hydrogen per day (equivalent to ~2,000 metric tons per year), which will be cleaned to 99.999% purity, suitable for fuel cell and mobility applications. The plant will consume less than 6 MW of power, which doubles the hydrogen output relative to if the same energy were used for electrolysis.
Hydrogen produced at Richmond will be shared accordingly, with Chevron taking 50% of the output for mobility applications. The other 50% is expected to be marketed by RavenSR through partners and investors, such as Itochu (Japan-based trader). Distribution of the hydrogen will be managed via tube trailers, avoiding the need for pipelines and allowing flexible delivery to fuel stations and industrial users. The company has also engaged with additional potential off-takers but remains focused on executing this first project before scaling further.
From a regulatory standpoint, the Richmond Project navigated significant challenges, including CEQA approval, CalRecycle permitting under SB 1383, and a Health Risk Assessment by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Raven SR successfully pivoted to a biomass conversion designation to comply with regulatory definitions and unlock pathway exemptions for certain organic waste streams.
'Raven's organic waste to hydrogen project sets a new standard in environmental sustainability. It will provide a triple benefit for local air quality and the climate by reducing landfill waste, using landfill gas instead of flaring it, and using the hydrogen in place of diesel in heavy duty trucks. Raven will also provide good jobs in a community that desperately needs them, adding economic benefits on top of environmental.'Zaragoza, Spain
For the past several years, Raven SR has been developing a business case for Zaragoza, Spain as a pioneering initiative for the company, which marks the first industrial-scale, non-combustion waste-to-hydrogen production facility in Europe. The project has been designated as a "Project and Investment of Regional Autonomous Interest" by the Government of Aragón. In addition to this regional recognition, Raven SR has received €1.4 million in funding from Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. This follows a €1.7 million award from the European Commission in 2022, as part of the Hy2Market consortium, which also focuses on expanding hydrogen production in Europe. The facility will be the first of its kind in Europe, which will help Spain meet its environmental goals under the EU Green Deal and Hydrogen Valleys initiatives.
Raven SR modular plant layout, artist rendering
Raven SR Non-Combustion Technology
The system is built around two principal reactors. The first-stage reactor is an indirectly heated rotary kiln or calciner. This vessel operates at temperatures between 500°C and 750°C, initiating the thermal decomposition (pyrolysis) of the solid feedstock. During this phase, volatile organic compounds are released and partially converted to gaseous products while solid carbonaceous residues (biochar) are retained. The feedstock waste is pre-processed to a 2-inch-minus particle size. It can include municipal solid waste, plastics, green waste, and other chemically organic materials—as long as they contain carbon and hydrogen.
The vapors and gases generated in the first stage are immediately transferred to the second-stage reactor, a high-temperature cracking chamber that elevates the gas stream temperature to approximately 1000°C using powerful electric heating elements requiring ~2 MW of electric input. This stage includes a highly engineered flow path designed to maximize turbulence, ensure uniform heat distribution, and extend residence time. At these temperatures, even the most stable hydrocarbon molecules, such as methane, undergo decomposition into hydrogen, carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
To enhance conversion reactions, steam and recycled syngas are co-fed with the feedstock, enabling both steam reforming and dry reforming (CO₂ reforming) within the same system. The process operates with minimal air input (oxygen kept below 2%) to suppress combustion reactions, improving hydrogen yield and reducing pollutant formation, including carbonyls and dioxins. The process is engineered around the high energy requirements of methane cracking, which serves as a proxy for achieving full conversion of less stable hydrocarbons. The reactors provide a minimum of two seconds residence time at high temperature—sufficient to reach thermal equilibrium—but are designed for up to six seconds for robustness and complete molecular breakdown.
The system's cold gas efficiency, a standard metric for evaluating the energy content of syngas relative to the feedstock, is reported at 95%, significantly outperforming conventional pyrolysis and gasification technologies, which typically range between 65% and 75%. From this syngas, hydrogen is derived through a downstream water-gas shift reaction, where CO reacts with steam to produce additional H₂ and CO₂. The syngas stream then passes through multiple purification stages including a water wash column, zinc oxide bed for sulfur removal, activated carbon filtration, and an ammonia absorber, before entering a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit for final hydrogen separation.
The hydrogen output is notably high. Approximately one-third of the hydrogen is produced in each of the three stages: the first-stage thermal reactor, the second-stage cracking chamber, and the water-gas shift unit. This distribution supports a balanced design and increases process stability.
Beyond hydrogen, the system produces biochar as a byproduct, only 15% by weight of the feedstock—a stable carbonaceous solid that has passed leachability and toxicity tests (TCLP). Biochar can be sequestered or blended into composts to enhance carbon content in soil, contributing to negative carbon emissions. Additionally, process CO₂ is released but can be captured or managed within low-carbon regulatory frameworks.
The system is also energy-integrated: up to 60–65% of its electrical needs can be met through onsite landfill gas generation, with the remaining portion supplied by grid electricity—potentially renewable depending on location. This energy mix further improves the system's carbon intensity profile, supporting favorable CI scores under programs like California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
The Richmond Project establishes Raven SR as a key player in sustainable hydrogen production by deploying a scalable, non-combustion technology that converts organic waste into hydrogen while reducing reliance on landfills and fossil fuels. The system's modular design, combined with indirect electric heating, controlled chemistry, extended thermal residence time, and multi-stage gas cleanup, provides a highly efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to combustion-based garbage elimination methods.
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