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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 pilot 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 pilot 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 Pilot Plant in 5 Years

Laboratory prototype
(2018)
$9.2M non-dilutive investment
Pilot 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

Feb. 2017

Technology Scan

 


 

Mar. 2017

Hosting the BCTECH Summit 2017 - Innovations in Clean Natural Gas

2017
2018

Dec. 2018

Process Modelling

Apr. 2019

Process Optimization

 


 

Nov. 2019

Reactor Simulation

2019
2020

Feb. 2020

Market Assessment and Techno-economic Analysis

 


 

May 2020

Provisional Patent 1- Filed (Hydrogen production from hydrocarbons without carbon dioxide emissions)

 


 

Sep. 2020

Lab Prototype Completed

1 kg H2/day

About VulcanX

Jan. 2021
Alberta Innovates Fund - $5M
Partners - $1.25M

 


‎ ‎
Mar. 2021
Pilot Plant Design - Started‎ ‎
55 kg H2 /day
‎ ‎


‎ ‎
Sep. 2021

Front-End Engineering Design Completed
55 kg H2 /day Pilot plant
‎ ‎

‎ ‎
Nov. 2021

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

2021
2022

Mar. 2022

Detailed Design started

Vulcanx Lab

Vulcanx Lab

55 kg H2 /day Pilot plant

 


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

 

Nov. 2022
Patent 1 - Filed
US application ser # 17/925,298
Canadian application ser # 3,183,418
Australian application ser # 2021274315
‎‎


 
Nov. 2022
Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF)- $0.43M

Jan. 2023
Procurement Started
55 kg H2 /day Pilot plant

 


 
Apr. 2023
Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN)- $1.25M
 

 

Sep. 2023
Construction Began
55 kg H2 /day Pilot plant

2023
2024

Jan. 2024
Construction Completed
55 kg H2 /day Pilot plant

Vulcanx Lab

Funding Agencies