In a Bid to Reinvent Hydrogen, Siemens Partners with Paragon on Fossil-Free, Power-Independent Solution

Siemens and Paragon Resources have joined forces to advance a groundbreaking method of hydrogen production that does not rely on fossil fuels or external electricity. The partnership follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two companies and could mark a turning point in the clean energy landscape. As hydrogen gains momentum as a low-emission solution for decarbonising industries such as heating and transportation, the challenge remains in how it is produced. Most hydrogen today still comes from carbon-heavy processes.

Around 92 per cent of the world's hydrogen is currently generated through grey methods, including steam methane reforming. This approach relies on fossil fuels and emits substantial amounts of carbon dioxide. That’s where Paragon Resources enters the picture.

Based in Aylesbury, United Kingdom, the company has developed a patented process that circumvents traditional high-emission techniques. Instead of relying on electrolysis or natural gas, Paragon’s system reacts recycled aluminium with water in the presence of a proprietary catalyst. The outcome is a clean chemical reaction that produces hydrogen gas, aluminium hydroxide and heat.

What makes this process particularly innovative is its built-in self-sufficiency. The heat generated during the reaction is captured and converted into electricity, allowing the system to power itself. This eliminates the need for any external energy input. The by-product, aluminium hydroxide, is emissions-free and has valuable applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, ceramics, water treatment and fire safety.

Beyond clean energy, the process also helps tackle the issue of aluminium waste. By turning discarded aluminium into a feedstock for hydrogen generation, Paragon offers a dual benefit of reducing landfill waste and enabling circular resource use.

With Siemens now on board, the plan is to scale the technology from pilot level to full industrial deployment. Siemens will provide digital infrastructure and optimisation tools through its Xcelerator platform. This includes automation systems, AI-powered operational models, digital twin simulations, and cybersecurity solutions to enhance system performance and enable remote monitoring.

Siemens’ senior commercial manager Andy Lane said: “Tackling the challenge of upscaling hydrogen production will be impossible without a willingness to collaborate.

“By integrating our automation and digitalisation expertise, we look forward to working with the team at Paragon to drive the creation of a robust hydrogen market for the UK that also supports other facets of sustainability, including resource efficiency and circularity.”

While aluminium is essential to a wide range of clean technologies, it remains one of the more carbon-intensive materials to produce. According to the International Energy Agency, aluminium manufacturing accounted for about three per cent of global direct industrial emissions in 2022.

Although global emissions intensity in aluminium production has declined slowly, around 2 per cent annually over the last decade, the pace of change is not fast enough. The IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario calls for nearly double that rate, targeting a four per cent annual reduction by the end of this decade.

Achieving that goal will require major technological breakthroughs. The IEA stresses the need for innovations in both primary and recycled aluminium production. At the same time, it calls for increased investment in scrap collection, material sorting and advanced recycling to reduce the sector’s overall carbon burden.

By aligning clean hydrogen generation with aluminium recycling, the Siemens-Paragon collaboration could serve as a blueprint for more circular and climate-resilient industrial processes.