(Alliance News) - Hydrogen Utopia International PLC on Monday said its wholly-owned Polish subsidiary Hydropolis United sp zoo signed a letter of intent with the city of Walbrzych in south-western Poland.

Hydrogen Utopia is a London-based company specialising in turning non-recyclable mixed waste plastic into hydrogen and other carbon-free fuels, new materials or distributed renewable heat.

It signed a letter of intent with the city of Walbrzych, agreeing to develop a facility in the Polish municipality, subject to a formal contract.

This includes beginning preparations for the necessary technical, environmental and legal documentation to facilitate the planning and permitting of a facility processing mixed waste plastic.

The agreement comes after months of consultation and cooperation between the city of Walbrzych and MZUK sp zoo, the municipal utility company responsible for waste management in the city area, with a view to ensuring a facility would have access to a suitable waste stream such as feedstock.

Hydrogen Utopia said the city of Walbrzych will help select a suitable site and ensure the availability of sufficient plastic waste to fuel the facility, which will produce a high calorie synthesis gas to generate electricity or to extract pure hydrogen from.

The Hydrogen Utopia facility would also generate heat, which it said could be distributed into a district heating system.

"Recently Walbrzych has suffered in its transformation from a coal mining city to an industrial hub with a strong focus on the circular economy and a hydrogen future but it has great potential, with an ambitious City Hall led by one of the most dynamic mayors in Poland," said Hydrogen Utopia Chief Executive Officer Aleksandra Binkowska.

"At HUI we intend to work with our partners in Konin, Powerhouse Energy Group PLC, to determine the most appropriate system to be installed in Walbrzych."

Roman Szelemej, mayor of Walbrzych, added: "I have served as mayor of Walbrzych since 2011 and in that time dozens of companies have offered plastic waste solutions, but after in-depth analysis our technical experts were never satisfied. My focus is on the circular economy and this initiative with Hydropolis appears to us to be the perfect solution.

"Climate change is a truly terrifying problem and as long as I am in charge I will do everything to help improve the lives of my citizens. Whilst I had intended to implement a zero-plastic policy, I now realise that eliminating plastic altogether is impossible and we need a way to tackle the issue."

Shares in Hydrogen Utopia were trading 15.9 pence each on AQSE in London on Monday morning, up 1.3% from 15.7 on Friday closing.

By Greg Rosenvinge, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.