About Us

About Vulcanx

About Vulcanx

VulcanX is not your typical startup. We spun out from MéridaLabs at the University of British Columbia with a de-risked demonstration plant. It all started in 2017 when we met with international partners to discuss methane pyrolysis. Since then, we have developed new systems that can produce hydrogen and solid carbon more efficiently and at a low cost.

We secured non-dilutive funding to de-risk and scale up the technology and build a demonstration plant in Alberta, Canada.

VulcanX Energy Corp. was incorporated in October 2022. We are securing funding and investment to scale production to at least 1 tonne of hydrogen production per day by 2026.

About VulcanX

Lab to demonstration plant in 5 Years

Laboratory prototype
(2018)
$9.2M non-dilutive investment
Demonstration plant in Alberta
(2023)
About VulcanX

Team

Leadership

Dr. Omar Herrera​

Dr. Omar Herrera

CEO, Founder

  • +15 years of experience in clean energy, marketing, and partnership development

  • R&D and engineering manager

Dr. Amir Sharafian

Dr. Amir Sharafian, P.Eng.

CTO, Founder

  • +15 years of experience in clean technology development
  • +7 years of team leadership in clean technology development
Dr. Walter Mérida

Dr. Walter Mérida, FCAE

CSO, Founder

  • +20 years of experience in clean energy solutions and industry collaboration

  • Board of Directors for the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, and the Institute for Breakthrough Energy Technologies

Our Timeline

Jan. 2024

Construction Completed
Demonstration plant

Vulcanx Lab

2024
2024
Feb. 2024

Commissioning Completed
Demonstration plant

Mar. 2024
Alberta Innovates Fund - $650K
Alberta Innovates

NRCan - $1.35M
Natural Resource Canada
2024
May 2024
May 2024
FortisBC – Clean Growth Innovation Fund - $2M
FortisBC

B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) - $75K
B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy
June 2024
Precommercial Plant Design - Started
1 Tonne H2 /day
June 2024
Jan. 2023

Procurement Started
Demonstration plant

2023
2023
Apr. 2023
Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN)- $1.25M
Clean Resource Innovation Network
Sep. 2023
Construction Began Demonstration plant
2023
Mar. 2022

Detailed Design Started

Vulcanx Lab

Demonstration plant

2022
2022
Nov. 2022
NRCan –Energy Innovation Program- $1.25M
Natural Resource Canada


Patent 1 - Filed
US application ser # 17/925,298
Canadian application ser # 3,183,418
Australian application ser # 2021274315

Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF)- $0.43M
Natural Gas Innovation Fund
Jan. 2021
Alberta Innovates Fund - $5M
Alberta Innovates


Partners - $1.25M
2021
2021
Mar. 2021

Demonstration plant Design - Started‎ ‎

Sep. 2021
Front-End Engineering Design Completed
Demonstration plant
2021
2021
Nov. 2021

Provisional Patent 2- Filed (Volume compensation in hydrogen production from hydrocarbons)

Feb. 2020
Market Assessment and Techno-economic Analysis
2020
2020
May 2020
Provisional Patent 1- Filed (Hydrogen production from hydrocarbons without carbon dioxide emissions)
Sep. 2020

Lab Prototype Completed

1 kg H2 /day

 

Vulcanx Lab

2020

Apr. 2019

Process Optimization

 


 

Nov. 2019

Reactor Simulation

2019
2018

Dec. 2018

Process Modelling

Feb. 2017

Technology Scan

 


 

Mar. 2017

Hosting the BCTECH Summit 2017 - Innovations in Clean Natural Gas

2017

Funding Agencies