Global technology company ABB and Hydrogen Optimized have agreed to jointly explore the development of large-scale green hydrogen production systems connected to the electrical grid to offer a clean, sustainable and affordable energy source.
Hydrogen Optimized has ambitions to use its high current water electrolysis technology at scale to produce green hydrogen for emerging clean applications across industries, including chemical utility and transportation. ABB’s hydrogen research team will explore electrical power supply optimization through projects involving ABB high power rectifier (HPR) systems.
Together, the companies plan to prove that Hydrogen Optimized’s RuggedCell™ water electrolysis technology can be used to develop an integrated product solution based on a 100MW single module plant design concept.
Illustration of electrolysis courtesy of ABB 
Hydrogen Optimized testing facilities 
ABB high power rectifier
ABB is a leading worldwide supplier of high-power rectifiers for any industrial application, providing maximum availability, highest productivity and with a high priority on personnel safety. Within its HPR range, rectifier systems provide DC current in the range of 5,000A to 550,000A, as single or multiple units and as such can provide nearly unlimited current and voltage combinations and meet most plant specific requirements.
“ABB is a world leader in the control and electrification solutions designed for large-scale electrochemical processes,” said Andrew T.B. Stuart, President and CEO of Hydrogen Optimized. “Such technology is an excellent fit with our patent pending RuggedCell™. Together these technologies create a continuous reduction in the installed capital cost as the scale of the green hydrogen project increases.
“Our joint work will lay the foundations for single-plant sizes up to the hundreds of MWs input power range. Demonstrating the scalability of these two key components of a water electrolysis installation is vital to economic green hydrogen and we are excited about the potential benefits for customers.”
The MoU signed by the companies formalizes the agreement to explore the implementation of a demonstration system as well as the preparation of a 100MW plant design and commercialization strategies.
“This project plays to our strengths of building large, highly efficient, customized HPR systems, pushing the boundaries of what is possible from one rectifier unit,” said Charl Marais, Global Product Manager, Process Industries, ABB. “Based on our many years of experience in providing control and electrical system solutions for electrochemical industries, we understand that HPR systems have the characteristics required for successful large-scale project deployment.
“This collaboration advances the commercial availability and feasibility of large-scale green hydrogen systems. We have been exploring this type of project for more than two years and the synergies with Hydrogen Optimized have been very apparent. We have a clear vision, and the results could be significant.”
Applications using green hydrogen include zero emission transportation fuel supply, ammonia and other chemical production with non-fossil sources of hydrogen, and green metal production with hydrogen instead of a coking-type process.
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Hydrogen Optimized, founded in 2017, is a private hydrogen technology company commercializing proprietary green hydrogen production systems. Our vision is that by 2030, the adoption of clean hydrogen processes for energy, chemical, and industrial purposes, will improve the quality of life for all individuals worldwide. Our pedigree dates to 1905 when Alexander T. Stuart, Canada’s hydrogen pioneer, concluded that hydrogen and oxygen were the key building blocks to a sustainable clean energy and industrial world. With the world’s premier hydrogen heritage, we develop, design, and build green hydrogen systems. We implement these with our partners and customers. www.hydrogenoptimized.com
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ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
