# Clean Hydrogen on Demand with Max Mankin, CTO and Co-founder of Modern Electron, and Mothusi Pahl, Vice President of Business Development at Modern Electron

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2022-10-27
- Length: 51m
- Episode: 12
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/6nr2jrrn-max-mankin-and-mothusi-pahl-decarbonizing-natural-gas

## Summary

Max Mankin, CTO and Co-founder, and Mothusi Pahl, VP of Business Development at Modern Electron, explain their methane pyrolysis technology that converts natural gas into clean hydrogen and solid carbon black at the point of use. They discuss the engineering challenges of high-temperature materials and carbon handling, as well as the business models for selling to industrial customers and gas utilities. The episode highlights the company's early-stage status, focusing on beta pilots and the transition to commercial scaling of modular units.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=3) Introduction: Modern Electron and the Problem of Industrial Heat
- [1:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=103) Guest Backgrounds: Max Mankin and Mothusi Pahl's Paths to Climate Tech
- [5:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=315) The Case for On-Site Hydrogen: Infrastructure and Decarbonization
- [14:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=870) Methane Pyrolysis Technology: Splitting Gas into Hydrogen and Carbon
- [23:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=1399) Engineering Challenges: High-Temperature Materials and Carbon Handling
- [28:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=1714) Commercial Scaling: Beta Units, Manufacturing, and Team Dynamics
- [39:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a#t=2358) Future Outlook: Green Premium, Developing World, and Advice for Climate Tech

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Modern Electron (company)
- Max Mankin (other)
- Mothusi Pahl (other)
- Cummins (company)
- Alphabet Energy (company)
- Stardex (other)
- Carboculture (company)
- Carbon Cure (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [218 - Big news for hydrogen in the USA with Phil Clark and Kevin Wyss](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-10-13-218-big-news-for-hydrogen-in-the-usa-with-phil-clark-and-kevin-wyss) (People of Packaging)
- [Inside the Energy Department's loan deal to back hydrogen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-01-10-inside-the-energy-departments-loan-deal-to-back-hydrogen) (Catalyst)
- [Andrei Klochko: Reversible Heat Pumps, Decarbonization, and Earth vs Mars | Hard Tech Podcast #6](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-06-14-andrei-klochko-reversible-heat-pumps-decarbonization-and-earth-vs-mars-hard-tech) (Hard Tech Podcast)
- [TEA breakdown: green ammonia and synthetic methane](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-21-tea-breakdown-green-ammonia-and-synthetic-methane) (Catalyst)
- [5. Making Rocket Fuel on Mars, Sustainable Transparent Wood, Plants Preventing Poisoning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-02-16-5-making-rocket-fuel-on-mars-sustainable-transparent-wood-plants-preventing-pois) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Hardware to Save a Planet.