Switzerland-based ABB has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with programme and construction management (PMCM) firm Bair Energy to develop 1GW Clear Fork green hydrogen complex in Texas, US.
In this regard, ABB will join the Bair Energy Green Hydrogen and Technology Alliance to deliver automation, electrification and digitalisation technologies expertise to help the optimisation of low-cost green hydrogen production at the Clear Fork facility.
Under the MoU, ABB and Bair Energy will explore the scope of utilising digital twin technology provided by the ABB Ability 800xA Simulator and ABB Ability Process Power Simulator.
By combining electrical and process controls with dynamic simulation, the solutions are expected to offer a virtual representation of the plant’s design, operation and maintenance.
The solutions will help provide a shorter new plant start-up period, as well as support train operators and test changes in a realistic but disconnected environment, said ABB.
Phase one of the Clear Fork green hydrogen complex will use clean energy to generate up to 33,000kg of green hydrogen per day initially.
The daily capacity of the facility is designed to increase to 132,000kg by 2028.
According to ABB, the generated green hydrogen will be liquefied on-site, stored and transported to customers to establish hydrogen networks in the mobility and transportation sector.
ABB Energy Industries president Brandon Spencer said: “We are particularly pleased to be part of this project to support low-cost hydrogen production, and sustainable transport in the US and globally.
“It is an exciting time for hydrogen in the US following the Inflation Reduction Act incentives passed last year, which coupled with alliance formations such as this, support projections of reducing the cost of green hydrogen production to under $0/kg by 2030.”
ABB’s design to operation project methodology Adaptive Execution is expected to be deployed in the Clear Fork green hydrogen project.
The methodology is anticipated to bring together expert teams, new technologies, agile processes and shared learnings.
Bair Energy CEO Nicholas Bair said: “Our collaboration with ABB, and their expertise in automation, electrification and digitalisation solutions, will help us to bring the Clear Fork Texas Project one major step closer to success,”
“The deployment of ABB Adaptive Execution will also enable us to both reduce our CAPEX by 20% and speed up our delivery time of the facility by 10 to 20%, which is a game changer for a project of this scale.”
The Clear Fork green hydrogen complex is scheduled to commence operations in 2025.
