Metacon enters into strategic partnership with WattAnyWhere for the roll-out of off-grid electric vehicle fast charging stations
Metacon has, through its subsidiary Helbio, initiated an in-depth collaboration with the Swiss-based company WattAnyWhere by entering into an exclusive partnership agreement for the supply and further development of Helbio's ethanol reformers to WattAnyWhere's off-grid fast charging stations for battery-electric vehicles.
WattAnyWhere ("WAW") has, together with Helbio, developed a groundbreaking electricity generator (Genset) based on our unique solution for reforming ethanol into hydrogen. Ethanol is a fossil-free renewable raw material that is available in large quantities after the E85 fuel for passenger cars saw reduced importance. At the same time, ethanol has long been distributed in this form to several gas stations around the world, and major commercial investments in ethanol production are facing significant challenges. With WAW's Genset solution, ethanol producers gain access to a whole new growth market for ethanol.
WAW's Genset is an innovative product that produces on-site electricity to enable fast charging of battery vehicles. With more and more battery vehicles on the road, the need for charging stations will increase at a rate that will not always be able to be supported by existing electricity distribution. Owners of battery-powered vehicles already experience that there is not always enough access to power to be able to fast charge their cars when it is needed the most. With WAW's Gensets, charging stations will have access to electricity regardless of when the supply of grid electricity is low or even non-existent and even when it is as most expensive.
In order to create good conditions for the partnership, WAW has obtained an exclusivity for the European market with an option to expand if the business develops positively. Metacon has reserved the right to all uses for the ethanol reactor that are not covered by the exclusivity of the partnership.
A Genset can operate completely off-grid and can be placed in areas where a battery car cannot normally be charged. WAW also sees other uses for its Gensets that can be connected to local power grids ("Microgrids") when the electricity is not needed for charging battery vehicles. Heat and water, which are by-products from a Genset, can also be used locally.
With the partnership, Metacon gains access to a new and important market that gives us the opportunity to produce and sell our ethanol reforming technology. Securing the possibility of delivering ethanol reformers to WAW in the future means that Metacon opens up another business area for our patented catalytic reactor technology.
”This is a truly innovative and unique system solution that takes Metacon into the battery vehicle market for real. For us, embarking on an investment in the continued development of our ethanol reactor, it has been important to ensure that we find the right market channel and a future market and revenue for these products. Through the partnership with WAW, we now have a close collaboration with a customer that for a long time to come has the potential to place our operations with ongoing orders, with initially lower volumes during the first years, but thereafter in an expected rapidly increasing scope”, commented Christer Wikner, CEO & President, Metacon.
Didier Roux, CEO, WattAnyWhere commented; “I am happy and excited that we have now created a long-term business partnership that enables commercialization and scale-up of sales of our unique fossil-free off-grid fast charging station and power generator.”
For further information, please contact Christer Wikner, by phone 0707-647389 or email: [email protected]
This information is information that Metacon AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 9 Nov 2023, 15:45 CET.
About Metacon AB (publ)
Metacon AB (publ) develops and manufactures energy systems for the production of fossil-free "green" hydrogen. The products in the Reforming business area are based, among other things, on a patented technology that generates hydrogen through so-called catalytic steam reforming of biogas or other hydrocarbons. The development of Metacon's reforming products is done within the wholly owned subsidiary Helbio S.A in Patras, Greece. The business is focused on catalytic process chemistry and advanced reformers for highly efficient hydrogen production.
Metacon also offers complete electrolysis plants and integrated refueling stations for green hydrogen, a large and globally growing area for small- and large-scale production of green hydrogen. Electrolysis is a process of driving a chemical reaction to split water by adding electricity. If the electricity used is non-fossil, the hydrogen will also be fossil-free and climate-neutral. Green hydrogen can be used in sectors such as transport, basic industry and the real estate sector, with a better environment and climate as a result. www.metacon.com
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