Babcock & Wilcox Obtains $10M for BrightLoop Hydrogen, Carbon Capture in West Virginia

The West Virginia Department of Economic Development is funding Mountaineer C2H, a subsidiary of Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Enterprises, up to $10 million to develop a BrightLoop hydrogen production and carbon-capture facility in Mason County, WV. Funds will be doled out as B&W reaches project milestones.

"This is a tremendous win for West Virginia, Mason County, and our entire state,” said Jim Justice, West Virginia Governor. “B&W’s decision to bring its technology and expertise here is a testament to our state's growing reputation as a hub for innovation and forward-thinking energy solutions. This investment not only creates jobs but also positions West Virginia in the energy industry.”

The low-carbon hydrogen production facility, powered by coal and biomass, will use B&W’s chemical looping technology supported by the agreement’s performance-based financial and economic development assistance.

“We are grateful to the state of West Virginia and the Department of Economic Development for their support of B&W’s energy technology that will utilize coal and biomass from West Virginia while simultaneously capturing and sequestering the CO₂ emissions to create low-carbon intensity hydrogen,” said Jimmy Morgan, B&W Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We’re seeing interest in our BrightLoop hydrogen production technology from potential customers and partners across the United States and globally, and we’re excited to begin development of this project in West Virginia as we pursue additional financing and equity partners to complete this project.”

BrightLoop

BrightLoop technology uses B&W’s iron-oxide “TranspO₂rt” particle to generate hydrogen by separating water molecules. It also captures carbon emissions at a low cost-per-kilogram across a range of fuels, including solid and gaseous fuels. The system reduces the energy input required to create hydrogen, simultaneously offering a carbon-neutral or net-negative impact.

BrightLoop chemical looping diagram; image credit: B&W

“Demand for hydrogen is growing rapidly across many sectors, and we look forward to developing a facility that will have a major economic impact in West Virginia,” Morgan added. “The clean hydrogen generated by this project could be used for a variety of purposes, including power generation and industrial applications. B&W has a long history of energy projects in West Virginia, and we are committed to further job growth to support these projects.”

B&W News

In mid-November 2024, B&W’s thermal segment received approval to proceed with a coal-to-natural gas conversion project, valued at approximately $246 million, at AES Indiana’s 1,160 MW Petersburg Generating Station. The project is slated for completion in Q1 2027. AES Indiana will transition away from coal and minimize CO₂ emissions by converting two coal-fired boilers to burn natural gas as fuel.

Also in November, Mälarenergi AB awarded B&W a contract to perform a full-scale feasibility assessment of its SolveBright CO₂-capture technology to be installed at a waste-to-energy plant in Västerås, Sweden. The study will examine SolveBright integration with the plant and district heating system, as well as:

• Identification and management of usable heat
• Rebalancing and optimization of the waste-to-energy facility
• Selecting the optimal technical configuration for high operational efficiency

The SolveBright scrubbing system is a post-combustion solution that absorbs CO₂ from the plant’s flue gas using a regenerable solvent. It is part of B&W’s ClimateBright technology portfolio that reduces carbon impact via post- or pre-combustion carbon capture, burning clean fuels, and utilizing energy from feedstock to produce hydrogen, steam, or syngas with carbon isolation.