Distributed Control Systems

Making a world of difference in hydrogen

Helping make hydrogen the obvious choice for a clean energy future

Invisible to the naked eye, hydrogen is the most abundant element in our universe. As an energy source, it holds tremendous potential to play an important role in a clean energy future, helping decarbonize many major industries and contribute to a more sustainable society.

Yet producing hydrogen requires large amounts of both energy and expertise. Technologies for the production, storage, transportation and use of hydrogen as a clean energy source are available today, but broader application will require scaling up solutions and lowering production costs.

ABB’s goal is to help make hydrogen accessible as quickly and cost-effectively as possible – through efficient project execution and integrated solutions that are increasingly faster to deploy, simpler to operate and cheaper to maintain.

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Demand drives growth

Rising demand for hydrogen, which has more than tripled since 1975 , is driving a steady increase in production. According to the International Energy Agency, the number of clean hydrogen policies and projects around the world is also growing, with more than 200 projects currently declared. Market analyst Frost and Sullivan expects hydrogen production to more than double to over 168 million tons by 2030 from about 70 million tons in 2020.

Making a world of difference

Scaling up hydrogen: how we make it happen

With electricity constituting the majority of hydrogen production costs, enhancing energy efficiency is key. ABB’s integrated technologies contribute to energy efficient, future-proof plants that help lower initial investments. Electrification, automation and digital control and measurement solutions help hydrogen plants optimize operations, increase efficiencies and cut operational expenses. In addition, ABB’s digitally enhanced instrumentation solutions and analyzers ensure tight control of the hydrogen production process – and related emissions. Leveraging data from existing operations is another way for companies to maximize value. To this end, ABB has developed the ABB Ability™ Genix Industrial Analytics and AI suite that combines data from multiple sources, providing analytics that help customers better manage assets and operations. And because the greenest energy is the energy you save, energy management solutions like ABB Ability™ Energy Management OPTIMAX^® are built to ensure that hydrogen operations are run in the most efficient way possible.

Cruise ship equiped with Azipod propulsion

Leading by doing

Among market-leading projects, ABB is working with Swiss utility Axpo to develop modular green hydrogen production plants in Italy, with the goal of generating an optimum operating model for hydrogen production.

Teaming with Lhyfe, French producer and supplier of 100 percent green hydrogen, ABB is supplying their first production site with its Freelance distributed control system and the ABB Ability™ Manufacturing Operations Management digital platform. The integrated distribution control system with a common and centralized database will reduce the development time and simplify the automation of the production.

Collaborative development

In the transport segment, ABB is a leader in collaborative development and application of hydrogen fuel cells. Together with Ballard Power Systems, the leading global provider of proton exchange membrane fuel cell solutions, ABB is developing a high-power hydrogen fuel cell concept capable of generating 3 megawatts (4,000 HP) of electrical power for application onboard a wide range of ships.

Hydrogen is everywhere – and so is ABB

ABB’s offering covers the entire hydrogen value chain, from small modular and large-scale production, to distribution and end use. With a long history in hydrogen industries, ABB brings hands-on experience and technical expertise to provide the necessary guidance for successful implementation of hydrogen projects. And with over 600 manufacturer certified service engineers worldwide, ABB is there to support hydrogen industries globally.

By enabling safe, sustainable and efficient production and use of hydrogen to ensure a cleaner future for generations to come, ABB is making a world of difference.