Air Products has awarded thyssenkrupp nucera a contract for the supply of alkaline water electrolysis technology for a 10 metric ton per day facility to produce green liquid hydrogen in Casa Grande, Arizona. Under this contract, thyssenkrupp nucera will deliver two of their large-scale alkaline water electrolysis standard modules.

Based on its world-leading chlor-alkali electrolysis and decades of experience in industrial large-scale electrolysis applications, thyssenkrupp nucera has developed a modularized and cost-efficient solution for large scale hydrogen production. (Earlier post.) To simplify the construction of new hydrogen plants and keep costs down, it offers electrolyzers in prefabricated skid-mounted modules that can be added up to several hundred megawatts up to gigawatt scale.

Project activities have been initiated, and the facility is expected to be on-stream in 2023. The gaseous hydrogen will be converted to liquid hydrogen using Air Products’ proprietary technology. The production site will also include a terminal for Air Products to distribute the product for the mobility market in California and other locations in the US.

thyssenkrupp nucera electrolyzer assembly

This second joint project with our Strategic Partner Air Products signed within the last few months shows that the needed fast implementation of sector coupling needs sustainable, long-term partnerships and a new understanding of how to co-develop business cases and projects together. The combination of our reliable engineering and best-in-class technology with Air Products’ speed, strategic investment and build-own-operate model, will be the differentiator on this new hydrogen market—which we create now.

—Denis Krude, Chief Executive Officer at thyssenkrupp nucera

The United States plays a crucial role in thyssenkrupp nucera’s hydrogen business strategy. With a local office in Houston, Texas, thyssenkrupp nucera builds its company organization as a globally operating network that is close to customers.

The United States will be an important frontrunner for showcasing the direct link between green hydrogen production and demand centers, creating a strong self-sustaining domestic hydrogen market. Arizona offers the perfect conditions for low-price renewable energy whereas California has set the right regulations to massively decarbonize their transportation sector.

Heavy duty transportation is a feasible and cost-efficient business case for green hydrogen application already today if the renewable power prices are low.

—Dr. Christoph Noeres, Head of Green Hydrogen at thyssenkrupp nucera

Through several regulations California has taken steps aggressively to decarbonize its transportation sector—the largest emissions sector in its economy—through conversion to zero-emission vehicles. The state has also set a goal that all drayage trucks be zero-emissions by 2035 and heavy-duty vehicles convert to zero-emissions vehicles by 2045.

For heavy-duty applications, hydrogen fuel cells offer faster refuel times, longer range, and larger payloads, while also performing better in extreme climate conditions than battery-electric solutions. Hydrogen as a transportation fuel most closely mirrors the traditional transportation fueling experience.

thyssenkrupp nucera is a joint venture with Industrie De Nora, and has extensive in-depth knowledge in the engineering, procurement, and construction of electrochemical plants and a strong track record of more than 600 projects with a total rating of more than 10 gigawatts already successfully installed.