Texas Set To Get 5GW Electrolyser Factory

The world’s largest green hydrogen project will get its own 5GW high-current electrolyser factory. Hydrogen Industry Leaders look at the project and how technology will be used to produce green hydrogen at lower costs.

Hydrogen Optimized, a Canadian-based subsidiary of deuterium supplier Key DH Technologies, aims to build a factory in Texas to supply Green Hydrogen International’s (GHI) planned 60GW Hydrogen City project.

Texas-based start-up GHI, which is currently developing the early-stage 60GW Hydrogen City, says it intends to “purchase the facility’s entire output for the first ten years of operation”.

Hydrogen Optimized is currently implementing a program to demonstrate the RuggedCell technology for large-scale project development. They claim that the technology will produce green hydrogen at a lower cost on a larger scale than other water electrolysers in today’s marketplace.

Currently, Hydrogen Optimized has not disclosed many details about its electrolyser. It is suited to variable renewable energy as it can ramp up from 0 per cent to 100 per cent power load “in just a few seconds”.

It is similar to the dynamic response to proton-exchange membrane (PEM) technology, but unlike PRE, the RuggedCell machine doesn’t require expensive iridium.

GHI announced the Hydrogen City project in March 2022, which will be powered by gigawatts of wind turbines and solar panels in South Texas, producing more than 2.5 million tonnes of renewable H2 annually upon completion.

The first 2 GW phase of Hydrogen City is due to begin operations in 2026.