HPQ Silicon, Novacium sign with AD-Venta

Executive Summary

• HPQ Silicon Inc. and Novacium SAS have signed an industrial and commercial cooperation agreement with AD-Venta Innovative to advance the scale-up of the Metagene™ technology, an autonomous high-pressure green hydrogen production solution.
• The partnership significantly increases the projected production capacity of the Metagene station from 1–10 kg/day to up to 20 kg of hydrogen per day, leveraging AD-Venta’s existing high-pressure dispensing infrastructure.
• The agreement establishes a framework for integrating the Metagene reactor into AD-Venta’s station, with pilot phase work beginning in September 2025 and operational tests planned for 2026 to validate performance for drones, vehicle fleets, and off-grid power applications.

Key Details

• Parties Involved: HPQ Silicon Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ), Novacium SAS (technology developer), and AD-Venta Innovative (high-pressure hydrogen storage/regulation systems).
• Agreement Nature: Industrial and commercial co-operation agreement; signed at the end of November 2025.
• Production Capacity Update: Metagene station capacity increased to up to 20 kg of hydrogen per day (previously anticipated 1–10 kg/day).
• Technical Integration: The Metagene hydrogen-production reactor (using aluminum-silicon fuel) will replace external 200-bar compressed-hydrogen cylinders in AD-Venta’s station, integrating directly into the upstream section.
• Timeline:
  • Pilot phase work began in September 2025.
  • Operational tests planned for 2026.
  • Objective: Validate hydrogen production capacity for hydrogen-vehicle fleets, drones, and autonomous power-supply stations.
• Performance Metrics & Applications:
  • 20 kg H2/day is equivalent to 400 kWh of useful electrical energy via a 60% PEM fuel cell.
  • Supports 80–130 one-hour inspection flights for 15–25 kg multirotor drones.
  • Supports 45–70 one-hour missions for 50–120 kg offshore monitoring drones.
  • Supports up to 30 hours of continuous flight for 15 kg mapping drones (covering 400–600 km of pipelines or 500 hectares of oil fields).
  • Powers 6–10 ground-based inspection drones in ATEX zones for 72 hours of autonomous operation.
• Commercial Context: Target markets include major oil and gas companies, integrated electric-grid operators, and North American defense organizations.
• Financial Terms: The agreement does not currently include any material terms.
• Licensing: HPQ holds the exclusive North American license for the Metagene onboard hydrogen generator.

Notable Quotes

• Jed Kraiem, Head of Novacium: "The arrival of AD-Venta in the project... represents an important milestone for us... His 40 years of experience... is a major asset for successfully scaling the project."
• Jean-Luc Mussot, CEO of AD-Venta: "I am convinced it represents an important advancement for decentralized high-pressure hydrogen production. It is especially well suited for off-grid applications, as it does not rely on heavy infrastructure and offers an economical way to generate hydrogen in isolated environments."
• Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon: "The strategic agreement with AD-Venta not only decisively accelerates the development and commercialization of our Metagene onboard hydrogen generator... it also contributes to increasing the technology's maturity."