Black & Veatch has been selected by Mitsubishi Power Americas and Magnum Development, co-developers of what will be the world’s largest industrial green hydrogen production and storage facility, to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project in Delta, Utah.
Announced in 2019, the new hydrogen hub will initially be designed to convert more than 220 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy daily to 100 metric tons of green hydrogen that will be stored in two sprawling salt caverns, a statement from Black & Veatch said.
“Storing excess renewable energy as hydrogen yields a long-term and long-duration energy storage solution, complementing battery energy storage solutions while allowing renewable energy to be deployed in times of highest demand. With hydrogen storage solutions, that may even include seasonal shifts of excess renewable energy.
“Drawing on its extensive expertise in building complex energy infrastructure projects, Black & Veatch for 80 years has played key roles in engineering and building projects involving hydrogen, now widely considered to be the next frontier for carbon-free energy,” it said.
These projects have varied in scope from hydrogen production via gasification to reforming and electrolysis, with end uses ranging from the creation of ammonia to power generation to transportation and mobility solutions.
Mitsubishi Power will provide the hydrogen equipment integration, including the 220 MW of electrolyzers, gas separators, rectifiers, medium-voltage transformers and distributed control system.
Mario Azar, Black & Veatch’s incoming chair and CEO, said: “Being part of this innovative team advancing clean hydrogen as a fuel and feedstock is helping pave the way for a lower-carbon energy future that takes the energy transition farther, faster.
“Black & Veatch is committed to keeping our clients and partners ahead of the curve when it comes to managing the energy transition and meeting their decarbonization goals. The Advanced Clean Energy Storage hydrogen hub is a transformative event in the development of green hydrogen, long-duration energy storage and decarbonization at scale.”
“Together with our innovative partners, Mitsubishi Power and Magnum Development are creating the world’s first and largest industrial green hydrogen hub,” said Michael Ducker, president of advanced clean energy storage and chief operating officer for the joint venture. “We are committed to advancing the development of green hydrogen, long-duration energy storage, and decarbonization at scale and are thrilled to be working with Black & Veatch on building the critical infrastructure needed to achieve our vision towards a 100-percent carbon-free future.”
“We’re honored to design and build the first large-scale green hydrogen production and storage facility,” added Jason Rowell, Black & Veatch’s leader of new energy solutions. “Mitsubishi Power, Magnum Development, the Intermountain Power Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and project financing partners expect the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project to meet or exceed schedule, budget, performance and reliability expectations. Black & Veatch is fully committed to delivering on our clients’ key objectives.”
With construction beginning this spring, the hydrogen storage hub will be adjacent to the Intermountain Power Agency’s (IPA) IPP Renewed Project and support that 840-MW, hydrogen-capable gas turbine combined cycle power plant under construction.
That plant initially will run on a blend of 30 percent green hydrogen and 70 percent natural gas starting in 2025. The plant incrementally will expand to using 100 percent hydrogen by 2045.
