Accelera begins electrolyzer production in Minnesota
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Columbus-based Accelera by Cummins cut the ribbon Friday on its first U.S. electrolyzer production site. The company said it is utilizing 89,000 square feet of its Fridley, Minnesota facility for the electrolyzer production and plans to add 100 jobs by 2024.
The proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen, known as green hydrogen, can then be stored as a liquid or gas and used as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Accelera President Amy Davis said large-scale electrolysis to produce green hydrogen is a key piece in the effort to decarbonize transportation and industry.
“The electrolyzer production capacity we are adding in Fridley will help us scale zero-emissions technologies in North America to meet customer demand and advance adoption,” Davis said in a news release. “Milestones like this, highlighted by close public-private collaboration, demonstrate our relentless dedication to accelerating the shift to net zero for the industries that keep the world running.”
Accelera said the facility will be able to produce 500 megawatts of green hydrogen annually, with plans to scale up to 1 gigawatt of capacity in the future.
The ribbon cutting was attended by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, along with other federal, state and local officials.
The event came less than two months after President Joe Biden visited the facility.
“It was an honor to join the team at Accelera by Cummins and Governor Walz today to celebrate a huge milestone for the company, for Minnesota, and for the country,” said Secretary Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are leading the way to a clean energy future and it starts with clean hydrogen and the production of electrolyzers here in the United States.”
Accelera said since the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the company has received orders for nearly 300 MW of electrolyzer projects in North America, which could generate a total of 150 tons of hydrogen per day by the end of 2026.
The company already powers the world’s largest electrolyzer system in operation in Bécancour, Quebec. Construction is also underway on a 200,000-square-foot electrolyzer facility in Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha in Spain.