Please introduce yourself and TES?

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My name is Matt LaBorde and I lead project development for TES US. I have an engineering background and have led and supported projects on transmission pipelines, chemical and LNG terminals, as well as green hydrogen generation and now e-fuels.

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TES was founded in 2019 in Belgium and expanded to the US in 2022 with the goal of becoming the leading producer of e-NG globally. e-NG is a synthetic methane molecule produced by reacting green hydrogen with captured CO2 and is molecularly identical to natural gas produced by fossil fuel operations but with a fraction of the carbon intensity. Our product can be transported using existing infrastructure and used as a drop-in fuel source without any equipment modifications.

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Can you share more about TES unique approach to e-NG production? 

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TES has made strategic partnerships with leading companies looking to decarbonize in an efficient manner. TES will generate the green hydrogen on site and bring in CO2 either from aggregate pipelines or single source emitters to perform the Sabatier reaction and produce e-NG on site. TES develops our projects in areas with abundant and economical renewable power supplies and easy access to natural gas and electrical transmission infrastructure to produce the lowest cost e-NG and developing these projects in a way that minimize the impact to communities and the environment.

 

How can e-NG help to decarbonize the global energy system? What are the key advantages of this product?

 

e-NG is a product that can be used immediately in the global energy mix without waiting for substantial infrastructure upgrades. e-NG can be used to reduce carbon intensity of gas fired power plants, residential and commercial heating, CNG engines, LNG bunker fuels or any application that currently uses methane as a fuel source. e-NG uses proven, existing technologies to produce the methane with oxygen and water as the only byproducts, making it environmentally friendly. The CO2 removed from the atmosphere via carbon capture facilities also reduces greenhouse gas emissions of various upstream facilities as well.

 

How many projects are you currently developing globally? Can you share an update on the progress of your US based projects?

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TES has two e-NG projects announced globally. Project Live Oak is a 50/50 JV partnership with Total Energies in the US Gulf Coast and Project Maurice in Quebec, Canada to provide e-NG and Green Hydrogen to Canadian markets. TES has also announced collaborations with a number of leading Japanese gas companies, ADNOC in the middle east, and others to develop e-NG projects. In March, TES joined the global e-NG coalition to expand knowledge and acceptance of e-NG as a low carbon fuel source of the future and we look to gain additional partners on our journey to decarbonization.

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TES has secured land and performed environmental due diligence, completed extensive engineering studies, and been in discussions with leading electrolyzer manufacturers, Methanation licensors, and EPC firms to advance the projects into further development. TES has also engaged local municipalities and community members for support of the project and has been met with positive response, as the projects will provide significant economic benefit and job creation to the communities we join. 

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What changes have you seen in the zero / low emissions project development landscape over the last 12 months? To what extent are technology, legislation, workforce availability and supply chains impacting development? 

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Global legislative variations in hydrogen, CO2, and e-fuels subsidies could catalyze the advancement of low carbon initiatives. Aligning these evolving policies presents a complex challenge that the industry, including TES, is actively addressing. The fluidity of incentive structures and increasing rigor in requirements may impact the long-term financial feasibility of such projects.

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Additionally, we are closely monitoring supply chain issues and long lead times for equipment such as electrical infrastructure. We believe that early engagement with suppliers and realistic project schedules will help us navigate these issues. The market for quality labor is tight with so many competing projects with similar timelines. To ensure that suppliers can provide quality labor and equipment for our projects, TES is engaging early with reputable EPC companies to understand project backlogs and commitments.

 

You are going to be speaking on the topic of infrastructure updates at the conference in June. What are some of the main challenges when it comes to infrastructure requirements for project development? How are you tackling these? 

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e-NG provides a low carbon solution that is immediately ready for the market using existing infrastructure. The hardest part of getting pure hydrogen or other e-fuels to market is the high cost of transportation (either new pipelines, trucking, specialty liquefaction or terminals, and marine vessels). e-NG avoids these costs by leveraging the hundreds of thousands of miles of transmission natural gas pipelines and existing LNG terminals readily available to transport e-NG.

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With that being said, the electrical demand of any new hydrogen-based project will be subject to new renewable power generation projects and electrical grid upgrades continuing to come online and be available for use. TES is currently working with several renewable partners, electrical utilities, and RTOs to make sure our projects are adequately supplied with clean power. TES is also closely following companies looking to add carbon capture to their facilities as well as the construction of new and expanding CO2 pipelines to provide the feedstock we need for additional e-NG generation.

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Successfully pioneering new and innovative technologies, designs and ways of working can rarely be achieved in isolation. Can you discuss the importance of partnerships in building new facilities?

 

TES looks to be a key player in the global energy transition, but our success will be impossible without the help of key strategic partners that share our vision in decarbonizing the energy sector. Forming relationships with renewable power suppliers, gas transmission pipeline operators, electrical utilities, equipment manufacturers, and EPC firms will be essential to the success of our projects and expanding the e-NG industry. Our announced partnerships with members of the e-NG Coalition as well as other forward-thinking organizations will support our advancement in these projects and play a vital role in the global supply of low carbon energy. In addition, gaining support from federal and local governments is key to broadening the acceptance of e-NG and other low carbon fuels as viable alternatives in the energy mix. We believe that no single solution will lead to successful decarbonization and that a collaborative effort across the energy industry will be required to achieve our goals.