*H2Gen® – Revolutionary Hydrogen Production from Water Without Electricity, Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Industries*

*H2Gen® – Revolutionary Hydrogen Production from Water Without Electricity, Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Industries*

PRESENTATION BY MR. MATTHEW DEGYANSKY (UTILITY GLOBAL) AT THE VIETNAM-AMERICA HYDROGEN WORKSHOP 2026

Date: April 10, 2026
Location: Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
Event: Vietnam-America Hydrogen Workshop 2026 – "Advanced Hydrogen Technologies and the Semiconductor Supply Chain – Vietnam & ASEAN"

Opening: A Completely Different Technology

Immediately following Mr. Andy Lei's (VAHC) overview of Vietnam's hydrogen market, Mr. Matthew Degyansky – CEO of Drive On, LLC, representing Utility Global (USA) – took the stage. He opened with a striking statement:

"Most of you are familiar with electrolysis or steam methane reforming (SMR). Today, I introduce a completely different technology: H2Gen® – producing hydrogen from water without electricity. And it can decarbonize up to 50% of global emissions."

He emphasized that Utility Global focuses on hard-to-abate industries – which account for up to 50% of global emissions – including steel, low-carbon fuels, refining & petrochemicals, chemicals, and upstream oil & gas.

Part 1: Core Technology – Hydrogen from Water, No Electricity

Mr. Degyansky explained the fundamental chemistry of H2Gen® with a simple diagram:

• Anode reaction (feed gas side):
  CO + O²⁻ → CO₂ + 2e⁻

• Cathode reaction (hydrogen production side):
  H₂O + 2e⁻ → H₂ + O²⁻

Key differentiators:

• No electricity input – the reaction is driven by chemical energy from waste gas.

• Hydrogen is produced without ever mixing with the feed gas thanks to a gas-tight electrolyte membrane.

• No equilibrium limitations like the conventional Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction.

• Can restart in minutes, while WGS requires up to 2 days.

"We compare H2Gen to WGS – and H2Gen is the clear winner in simplicity, flexibility, and cost."

Part 2: Scaling Up – From a 40-foot Container to 500 TPD Plants

Mr. Degyansky presented Utility's scaling strategy:

First Project (Canada, 2024):
Modular 40-foot ISO container, factory-manufactured, small footprint, scalable.

"Frontier" Facility (Houston, 2025):

• Commercial-scale H2Gen technology showcase campus.

• Produces up to 50 kg H₂/day, simulating various feed gas compositions.

• Allows customers to test before commercial deployment.

Part 3: Steel Industry – Decarbonizing Existing Blast Furnaces

Mr. Degyansky noted that steel accounts for approximately 7–9% of global CO₂ emissions. H2Gen® solves this by:

• Re-injecting H₂ into the Blast Furnace:
  Reduces coke consumption by ~10%, increases furnace productivity by up to 12%.

• Supplying H₂ to co-located DRI plants:
  Replaces purchased natural gas, lowers cost and carbon intensity.

• Producing low-carbon fuels from H₂ and CO₂.

CO₂ advantage:
H2Gen produces a concentrated CO₂ stream (30–75%) from a single point, enabling far more economical carbon capture (CCUS) compared to traditional technologies that handle dilute streams (5–20%).

"We don't ask you to build new steel plants. We decarbonize your existing infrastructure – while maintaining or even lowering the levelized cost of steel."

Live Project – Brazil (ArcelorMittal):

• 3.0 TPD H₂ from blast furnace gas.

• 100% biochar-based – no carbon capture needed (biogenic source).

• Replaces expensive natural gas, reduces operating costs.

Part 4: Refining & Petrochemicals – Monetizing Waste Gas

Mr. Degyansky pointed out that refineries and chemical plants often have off-gas or fuel gas that is flared or underutilized. H2Gen® converts these streams into:

• 98%+ pure hydrogen (no further purification needed)

• ~98% concentrated CO₂ – capture-ready

• No power import required

Case Study – Low-Carbon Ethylene in Europe:

• Partnering with a leading EU ethane producer.

• 90% CO₂ emission reduction (0.73 Mton/year).

• Hydrogen cost below €3.0/kg – highly competitive.

H2Gen vs. SMR in Refining:

• H2Gen is significantly simpler, with fewer components and smaller footprint.

• Lower emissions, no electricity import.

Part 5: Biogas – Negative-Carbon Hydrogen for Mobility

Mr. Degyansky called this an "immediate opportunity" for Vietnam. H2Gen® can utilize biogas from landfills, dairy farms, wastewater treatment – sources that are often flared or underutilized.

Advantages over SMR + RNG (Renewable Natural Gas):

Live Project – California (Maas Energy Works):

• Partnership with leading US biogas developer.

• 3.0 TPD H₂ from dairy biogas (4 farms).

• Hydrogen for heavy-duty truck market (Bay Area & Sacramento).

• Expected CI: -800 gCO₂e/MJ – deeply negative carbon.

"This is not just green hydrogen. This is negative-carbon hydrogen. And it's produced right where demand exists – no grid connection waiting time."

Strategic Alliance with Symbio & SCAQMD:

• $800,000 grant for fuel cell refuse collection vehicle development.

• 12-month trial with major fleets (WM, City of LA, City of Riverside).

Part 6: Upstream Oil & Gas – Blue Hydrogen Without Carbon Capture

Mr. Degyansky introduced another unique application: utilizing stranded gas, associated gas, or waste gas – sources often flared because they are uneconomical.

• H2Gen® converts these into zero-carbon hydrogen.

• Inert gases (CO₂, N₂) from the H2Gen plant can be reinjected directly into the reservoir – no carbon capture equipment needed.

• Significantly lower cost than conventional blue hydrogen (SMR + CCUS).

Conclusion and Call for Vietnam Collaboration

Mr. Degyansky concluded with a specific invitation:

*"Vietnam has enormous potential – from biomass and agricultural waste to industrial clusters needing decarbonization. H2Gen® can be deployed today – as a 40-foot container, producing hydrogen on-site, with no grid connection, no complex infrastructure."*

He invited Vietnamese partners – steel mills, industrial parks, large-scale farms – to explore pilot projects.

Q&A Highlights

Questions from Vietnamese delegates focused on:

• Handling impurities in biogas – Mr. Degyansky confirmed that H2Gen® includes standard pre-treatment and is highly flexible with varying gas compositions.

• Cost comparison with electrolysis – He emphasized that H2Gen® requires no electricity, making it especially economical where power is expensive or grid connection is difficult.

• Deployment timeline – Approximately 12–18 months from FID to commercial operation.

Mr. Degyansky ended with an optimistic message: "The technology is ready. The partners are ready. We just need the first project in Vietnam."

Written by: VAHC Secretariat 
Sources: Utility Global presentation deck (January 2026) and VAHC event program, April 10, 2026