The U.S. Dept. of Power (DOE) introduced it was getting ready to make as a lot as a $1.66 billion mortgage assure to Latham, New York-based Plug Energy, with the cash earmarked for building of as many as six clear hydrogen amenities throughout the U.S.
The DOE on Could 14 stated the funds had been a part of a conditional dedication to Plug Energy. The Biden administration has made assist for hydrogen manufacturing from clear power sources—often known as inexperienced hydrogen—a spotlight of its power program. Most hydrogen is named blue hydrogen, which is produced from fossil fuels together with pure gasoline. Inexperienced hydrogen is produced utilizing electrical energy from renewable power sources comparable to photo voltaic and wind.
Plug Energy develops hydrogen gas cell programs that exchange typical batteries in tools and autos powered by electrical energy.
Key for Decarbonization
“Inexperienced hydrogen is a necessary driver of business decarbonization in the US,” stated Plug Energy CEO Andy Marsh. “Earlier this 12 months, Plug efficiently demonstrated our innovation and technical skill by launching the primary commercial-scale inexperienced hydrogen plant within the nation in Woodbine, Georgia. This mortgage assure will assist us construct on that success with extra inexperienced hydrogen vegetation.”
Marsh stated, “We respect the partnership with the DOE Mortgage Packages Workplace and are happy to have labored by way of an intensive due diligence course of. The mortgage assure will show instrumental to develop and scale not solely Plug’s inexperienced hydrogen plant community, however the clear hydrogen trade in the US.”
The Biden administration final 12 months revealed a “Nationwide Clear Hydrogen Technique and Roadmap,” which referenced how the U.S. may produce as a lot as 10 million metric tons of inexperienced hydrogen yearly by 2030. The goal rises to twenty million metric tons every year by 2040, and 50 million metric tons yearly by 2050.
The DOE final fall stated it will provide $7 billion of funding to develop seven regional clear hydrogen hubs throughout the U.S. The hubs would assist commercial-scale deployment of hydrogen. The cash was included within the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation.
The seven hubs are anticipated to collectively produced about three million metric tons of hydrogen yearly.
Hydrogen Manufacturing Community
Plug Energy’s hydrogen manufacturing community consists of vegetation in a number of states. It’s among the many prime commercial-scale producers of electrolyzers within the U.S., and operates the biggest Proton Trade Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system within the U.S. at its Georgia hydrogen facility. Plug’s electrolyzer stacks are manufactured on the firm’s manufacturing facility in Rochester, New York. Plug’s liquefaction and hydrogen storage programs are engineered at its facility in Houston, Texas.
Electrolyzers use electrical energy to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. Plug’s PEM know-how is designed to function effectively on electrical energy from renewable power; Electrolyzers that use renewables to impress hydrogen manufacturing produce emissions-free clear hydrogen. Plug has stated its electrolyzer stacks might be configured to provide programs at 1-, 5-, and 10-MW scales.
Plug Energy has stated its hydrogen gas can be utilized in gas cell-electric autos throughout a number of sectors, together with transportation and industrial, and likewise materials dealing with. Plug’s hydrogen gas cells already are utilized by corporations together with House Depot, Walmart, and Amazon, at these teams’ warehouse and distribution facilities.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
