Upcycling Waste FAQs
What type of waste are used?
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Sustainability Precincts accept residual household and commercial waste - the materials typically found in red or green general-waste bins. Waste that many consider cannot be recycled and are otherwise destined for landfill.
How does the upcycling process work?
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Waste is fed into the top of an oxygen free HPAG unit, imagine an 11 meter tall wine bottle, to heat the waste in that closed cylinder. Gases are molecularly separated and extracted from the top, while remaining solids exit the base of the unit as a solid rock-like product (i.e. no ash or toxic residues). Without oxygen, combustion and large volumes of gases do not arise as with incineration. The captured gases are upgraded, cleaned and refined to produce Grade A+ hydrogen and CO₂ suitable for a variety of end market pathways.
How is this different from incineration?
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Incineration burns waste in an oxygen environment, producing large volumes of flue gases and around 20% ash residue. Incinerators are designed to produce heat and steam, to be used to drive turbines to produce electricity and often district heating for houses in colder climates.
When e-waste is recycled, valuable minerals are separated and recycled for use. Upcycling is similar, we use molecular chemistry to separate valuable hydrogen, carbon and oxygen molecules for recycling.
As a gasification and pyrolysis process, HPAG does not combust waste. HPAG processes capture gases like carbon dioxide rather than vents them, and can combine that captured carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce other products like ethanol, methanol or Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
HPAG’s efficient processes result in significantly higher energy potential outcomes than incineration and operates as a successful carbon capture and use pathway.
What makes Xseed Solutions’ approach different from traditional waste to energy or recycling processes?
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Our Sustainability Precincts use Hydrogen by Plasma Assisted Gasification (HPAG), an advanced recycling technology. HPAG is unlike traditional incineration that burns waste leaving an residual ash and emitting carbon dioxide. Instead, HPAG produces clean, hydrogen-rich gas, captures the carbon dioxide, then capable to generate renewable fuels. High energy and capital efficiency result in higher value; lower cost outcomes as compared to traditional incineration methods.
Sustainability Precincts can also operate as independent micro-grids, strengthening local energy resilience. As an end-to-end solution, we have engaged with various technology providers to manufacture, distribute and dispense the end products to customers.
What is the long term vision?
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We regenerate resources to live locally.
As the technologies are modular, we can scale with community circular economy outcomes, waste volumes and end product demand.
Our ambitions are to develop an all of Australia and New Zealand offering of affordable, low carbon fuels and refuelling solutions to supply decarbonise a range of transport vehicles, whether by road, air, rail or sea. A network of Sustainability Precincts connected to hydrogen and electric refuelling stations, creating transport green corridors across Australia and New Zealand.
How can industry partners and investors learn more?
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We welcome discussions with councils, governments, industry partners and investors interested in developing Sustainability Precincts or understanding how the technology can support local waste, energy and emissions goals. Xseed Solutions can provide technical briefings, project scoping support and partnership pathways.
Enquiries can be directed through our website: xseed.solutions