The start - up electro - Active Technologies has licensed its refinery technology , which converts food waste into renewable hydrogen gas . The technology was jointly patented by ORNL and the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of the UT system that promotes the commercialization of UT intellectual property. Electro - Active 's method uses microbial cells to break down the waste and efficiently extract electrons , before a second cell combines them with oxygen to produce hydrogen . The company is developing a prototype , modular system which can be deployed to customers on demand .
The start - up electro - Active Technologies has licensed its refinery technology , which converts food waste into renewable hydrogen gas . Electro - Active 's method uses microbial cells to break down the waste and efficiently extract electrons , before a second cell combines them with oxygen to produce hydrogen . The company is developing a prototype , modular system which can be deployed to customers on demand .