Plug Power, a pioneering player in the hydrogen solutions sphere, recently secured an order for 100 megawatts (MW) of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers.

This marks the most significant project announcement in the oil and gas sector in Europe to date.

The PEM electrolyzers from Plug Power will run entirely on renewable energy, generating about 43 tons of green hydrogen per day. This amount of green hydrogen will replace the gray hydrogen used in the oil refining process, thereby eliminating approximately 516 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day.

Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power, expressed the company’s commitment to advancing green hydrogen projects in Europe using their industry-leading PEM technology. He stated, “We are demonstrating how green hydrogen can be generated at scale to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries while also helping companies to achieve aggressive carbon reduction goals.”

The decision to proceed with the project followed a successful Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study in which Plug Power provided engineering support. The electrolyzers are scheduled for delivery and installation in 2024.

The electrolyzers by Plug Power utilize PEM stack technology in a modular design. This compact footprint allows potential for capacity expansion. An added advantage of these electrolyzers is their capacity to instantaneously adjust the hydrogen output based on the electrical input, a critical feature when paired with intermittent renewable resources.

The PEM stacks required for the system will be manufactured at Plug Power’s gigafactory located in Rochester, New York, which currently has a capacity of 100 MWs per month for electrolyzer stacks.

  green hydrogen, New York, Plug Power, Rochester, USA