ABB has been awarded two significant contracts by Plug Power, a leading provider of turnkey solutions for the global green hydrogen economy, to supply the electrical systems for two new hydrogen plants in North America that will produce 60 tons of green hydrogen per day collectively.
When utilized as fuel, green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources and emits no carbon.
The first plant, Project Gateway, will be located in Genesee County, New York. It will be North America’s largest green hydrogen production facility, daily supplying 45 metric tons of green liquid hydrogen to the northeastern United States, equivalent to 126 tons of gasoline and saving 14,000 tons of CO2 per year.
ABB will deliver the complete electrical system, which will be housed in an ABB eHouse solution – a prefabricated, walk-in, modular outdoor substation that will house a variety of electrical, automation, and ancillary equipment that will provide site and process power. ABB’s prefabricated and pre-tested solution significantly saves installation and commissioning costs and time.
Additionally, ABB will supply gas and air insulated switchgear, low voltage motor control centers, and auxiliary low voltage variable speed drives. Multiple motors will be driven in sync bypass mode using medium voltage VSDs. These drives, when used as compressor starters, provide smooth process control and minimize stress on equipment and utility loads by reducing inrush current and power consumption at the process start. Plug Power’s state-of-the-art proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers will be used to electrochemically divide water into hydrogen and oxygen utilizing pure New York hydropower.
Plug Power’s second plant, Peachtree, in Camden County, Georgia, will create 15 tons of liquid green hydrogen per day using 100 percent renewable energy and will serve clients throughout the southeastern United States.
The hydrogen generated will be used in the logistics and transportation sectors, allowing users to substitute it for fossil fuels in on-road applications such as heavy-duty freight vehicles and forklifts.
“Plug Power’s investment in both the Project Gateway and Peachtree facilities shows our commitment to the region, our customers, and the future world we want to live in,” said Sanjay Shrestha, General Manager of Energy Solutions and Chief Strategy Officer of Plug Power. “ABB showed the focus, understanding and expertise to execute a successful project, and we look forward to collaborating on driving the broader hydrogen economy.”
Hydrogen demand has increased more than twofold since 1975 and continues to climb. According to the International Energy Agency, green hydrogen is gaining exceptional pace at the moment, with the number of policies and projects rising fast throughout the world
“Green hydrogen will only become a widespread clean energy carrier if industry can scale up technologies and bring the overall production costs down,” said Brandon Spencer, President, ABB Energy Industries. “ABB’s goal is to help make hydrogen accessible as quickly and cost-effectively as possible to meet the growing global demand. We are proud to collaborate with Plug Power on their vision to build a resilient hydrogen ecosystem across North America.”
ABB is working with customers and partners worldwide to develop and integrate technology that will make hydrogen a more accessible and affordable component of the world’s low-carbon energy mix. These two projects are critical components of Plug Power’s strategy to expand its plant footprint throughout the United States in order to provide green hydrogen that is cost competitive with fossil fuel energy to clients seeking to satisfy their sustainability goals..
