Hycamite redefines methane for a new era

Hycamite, located in Kokkola, splits hydrogen from methane with a self-developed process that uses heat and a catalyst. At the same time, solid carbon is produced as a by-product, which can be used, for example, as graphite in electric car batteries and other industrial applications. The company would not exist without the courage to try new things and the deep expertise in the chemical industry, says the company’s CEO Laura Rahikka. 

– The company was born from Matti Malkamäki’s idea to decarbonize natural gas. At first, we saw Hycamite primarily as a hydrogen company. But when our team realized that the process also produces valuable, battery-grade carbon as a byproduct, we soon understood that carbon, too, would become a key part of our future business, Rahikka says.

At present, Hycamite has five different catalyst families that can be used to influence the amount and quality of the carbon produced. In practice, the carbon product can be tailored to meet each customer’s specific needs. Hycamite’s carbon can help reduce Europe’s dependence on graphite from China, making it strategically important also from the EU’s perspective. 

– Graphitic carbon is a critical raw material, as it is used in batteries and the battery industry. That is why we received the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) status this year, Rahikka says.

According to Tuukka Vainio, Customer Account Lead for the energy sector at Business Finland, Hycamite stands out in three keyways: clean and competitive technology, dual-product value (hydrogen and carbon), and scalability. 

– Hycamite’s process consumes 87 percent less energy than electrolysis and 90 percent less than conventional steam reforming. It is both efficient and environmentally friendly. The produced carbon is suitable, for example, for the battery industry. Both batteries and clean hydrogen represent billion-euro growth markets, Vainio says.

Business Finland has been involved in Hycamite’s journey from the very beginning, funding the company through instruments such as the Innovation Voucher, Tempo funding, and several different R&D projects. In addition, Hycamite has received support for internationalization and EU funding advisory services.

Hycamite’s two most recent R&D projects are linked to Business Finland’s Leading programs: Borealis’s SPIRIT and Wärtsilä’s ZEM. According to Vainio, connecting with these flagship initiatives provides smaller companies with an excellent pathway to grow as part of the development ecosystems of major industrial players. 

– The SPIRIT program develops solutions for a carbon-neutral chemical industry by reducing the use of fossil raw materials and emissions through new materials and low-carbon hydrogen. Within this framework, Hycamite is studying the applicability of its technology for producing plastic polymers. Wärtsilä’s ZEM program, in turn, aims for carbon-neutral shipping. In cooperation with Wärtsilä, Hycamite is developing a concept for producing hydrogen directly from LNG onboard vessels – a solution that could significantly reduce emissions in the maritime sector, Vainio explains.

According to Laura Rahikka, Business Finland’s support to Hycamite has been crucial for the company’s growth: 

– In addition to the significant funding essential for our operations, we immediately received a contact person who helped us with applications and advised us on what steps to take next. The internationalization services have also been invaluable to us. Participating in incoming delegations to Finland and in export promotion trips abroad has been extremely important for us, Rahikka says.

Hycamite has built Europe’s largest methane-splitting factory in Kokkola, and the company’s technology is now being introduced to international maritime shipping. CEO Laura Rahikka is delighted with how quickly everything has progressed. 

– New factories are already being planned, and we are currently looking for the most suitable location for our next graphite factory, Rahikka says.

Europe is becoming an increasingly important market for Hycamite. The CRMA status granted by the EU makes Finland a natural home base for future investments. 

– With this status, the factory should be in Finland, and we hope it could be built in Kokkola. 

The graphite plant is a significant step in Hycamite’s growth. In the future, the company aims to produce as much as 200 kilotons of graphite, which would cover up to 40 percent of Europe’s total demand.

Although graphite is a strategically central product for the company, it is not the only driver of growth. 

– We also have other carbon products serving industries such as tire, steel, and concrete manufacturing. These sectors have large volumes and customer bases, and they complement our portfolio very well, Rahikka adds.

The demand for low-carbon hydrogen is growing rapidly as Europe and global industry move toward carbon neutrality. Hycamite’s methane-splitting technology provides a solution: hydrogen is produced without greenhouse gas emissions, and the process consumes significantly less energy than traditional methods. According to Laura Rahikka, the industry now wants cleaner solutions, but without drastically higher costs. 

– Our customers are looking for alternatives to so-called grey hydrogen, which has a high carbon footprint. With our method, the hydrogen and carbon we produce can reduce overall emissions.

The future looks bright: Hycamite currently has several customer projects underway in North America, and within five years the company aims to establish multiple production factories in both Europe and Japan. 

– We want to be a reliable and innovative partner that brings new solutions to the industrial-scale challenges of the energy sector. I hope we can be seen as an example of how Finnish technological expertise can reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and accelerate the sustainable transition globally, Rahikka says. 

– And perhaps also as an inspiration for young people: it is always worth trying, because your own work really can make a difference.