Shaping a sustainable future with Lorentz’s innovative green hydrogen technology

Lorentz is a company specialising in the production of green hydrogen, established by Anders Olsson in 2023 and utilising an innovative production method developed by its founder. Lorentz's biggest investor is Nexergy Holdings PLC. Olsson has developed multiple commercial patents for companies such as Alfa Laval and has overseen structuring financial deals between Swedish multinational companies and large international corporations. In this interview, the founder shares more insights about Lorentz, its innovative technology for green hydrogen production, and the company’s plans.

Q: Can you elaborate on the vision behind the establishment of Lorentz in 2023?

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I have seen the increased demand for environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy sources over the years, and I believe I can provide a viable solution. It is important to me to make a contribution to the world that helps the environment. I already have several other patents, including some for renewable energy. I have developed a technology where hydrocarbon-based waste, such as non-recyclable plastic or anything made from oil, is converted back into oil, which can then be used for a more circular plastic production. This is a very economically viable technology applied at Cassandra Oil, which I established for waste conversion into circular oil.

My hydrogen production technology was developed based on a method I created almost 50 years ago to desalinate seawater. Hydrogen was a by-product and at that time, there was no demand for hydrogen gas. Now I've seen the growing need for hydrogen in the industry, particularly in the transport sector, especially for trucks. I developed the technology to produce hydrogen gas from fresh water, ensuring it is safe and effective.

Being naturally curious and dedicated to studying science, I am driven to find solutions to problems. This motivation led to the founding of Lorentz about a year ago.

The key aspect of these two technologies – for hydrogen and green oil production, is their economic viability. We have not relied on any grants or subsidies for either technology. If a technology is not economically viable, it is not going to succeed in the long run.

Q: Could you provide further insights into your hydrogen production method? What sets Lorentz apart from the approaches used by other companies in the sector, and what are its advantages?

Lorentz is using a technology that is quite new compared to conventional electrolysis and is based on science. It utilises a catalyst and magnetic force, requiring less energy, which is crucial because energy is a significant cost for electrolysers. This makes the method more efficient. The investment cost is also much lower than that of ordinary electrolysis. We do not use expensive materials, and the installation is considerably cheaper. Additionally, we use solar energy wherever it is reliable, such as in places like Spain, or whatever green energy is available.

More importantly, we can save on transport and storage costs by producing hydrogen onsite and placing our units where the consumption is high, such as in areas where the transport sector is expanding. Over the next 10 years, we can deploy our units at filling stations everywhere to meet the demand for hydrogen vehicle infrastructure.

Q: How does Lorentz address the main challenges in the hydrogen industry?

My technology requires a reasonable investment cost, which is very low compared to others. It also has low energy consumption, making it more efficient. Additionally, we save on transport costs, addressing the complexities of hydrogen transportation. This makes it economically viable from multiple perspectives.

Q: Has this method been implemented in any operational projects?

We have a project under development that should be operational this year. It is a demonstration installation in Spain that will be powered by onsite solar panels. This project will cater to the transport sector. Its purpose is to demonstrate the full cycle from solar panels to hydrogen production, proving the concept. We plan also to build larger units, as the broader market is significantly bigger.

Q: Is Lorentz targeting specific sectors for the application of its technology?

Initially, we are targeting the transport sector, where our small footprint and modular production units efficiently can help speeding up the integration of low carbon hydrogen in our society without relying on large projects requiring to build the infrastructure. The environmental benefits of electrical cars have been proven, however, some of the disadvantages in form of limited range and increased pollution from tires and road wear surfaces due to the heavy batteries are now highlighted. We have ongoing discussions about using our technology to create hydrogen for energy storage for large computer centrеs in various parts of the world. There is a huge demand for electricity to run these facilities and Lorentz technology could provide a solution for efficient back-up. With the increased use of AI, the demand for larger capacity is growing rapidly. We are currently negotiating to supply significant volumes of green hydrogen gas for such facilities.

Q: What are your long-term objectives for Lorentz, and what milestones do you plan to achieve in the coming years?

Our first goal is to get the demonstration unit operational. It is very small-scale, but once people see and understand the concept, it can be implemented anywhere. Compared to many large hydrogen projects, which are five to ten years away due to their size and the substantial investment required, we can be operational much quicker. Our demonstration is small, and we do not need the same level of infrastructure.