The Energy Technological Institute (ITE), a Valencia, Spain-based non-profit research and development association, is leading an innovative renewable hydrogen project called Tex2Energy, designed to address the growing problem of non-recyclable textile waste generated by the fashion industry.
As the ITE explained, Tex2Energy employs a thermochemical process to convert complex textile waste into synthesis gas, which is rich in hydrogen. This hydrogen is then utilised in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to generate electricity.
The process not only produces energy but also offers a sustainable solution to reduce the volume of textile waste and associated CO2 emissions, the ITE said.
The ITE stated that it has successfully demonstrated the proof of concept for the Tex2Energy technology, proving that it can efficiently produce hydrogen from a variety of textile waste, mainly cotton and polyester. The institute is now working to validate and scale up the technology for industrial applications.
The Tex2Energy project is supported by the Valencian regional government.
Source: https://renewablesnow.com/