Methane pyrolysis is a process that uses high heat to split natural gas (methane) into hydrogen and solid carbon black. This process is seen as a promising approach for producing hydrogen in a more environmentally friendly way compared to traditional methods like steam methane reforming, which generate significant greenhouse gas emissions.

The podcast episodes discuss methane pyrolysis and its potential to help decarbonize heavy industries. Episode 53779 provides an in-depth look at Monolith, a company working on scaling up methane pyrolysis technology with the support of a $1 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy. Episode 54892 also mentions methane pyrolysis as an example of an emerging technology being explored to produce clean hydrogen.