ABB joins team for 2.2GW Hydrogen City project in Texas

Hydrogen City will be located about 120km west of the major Texas port of Corpus Christi. A combination of wind and solar will power a 2.2GW electrolyser plant, producing 280,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. The facility will tap into local geology to store the H2, using the Peidras Pintas Salt Dome to contain up to 24,000 tons and allowing Hydrogen City to harness the intermittency of renewable energy outputs. 

A pipeline will link Hydrogen City to Corpus Christi, where the gas will be converted to green ammonia and exported around the world. Green Hydrogen International (GHI) is also in discussions with potential off takers of green hydrogen as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel and e-methane production.

The collaboration will see ABB’s automation, electrification and digital technology assessed for deployment at Hydrogen City. ABB has already completed a feasibility study to develop an electrical system architecture to optimise return on investment and support compliance with US and EU legislation, including the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

“We are proud to collaborate with GHI on Hydrogen City, to explore how our automation, electrification and digital technology can support and scale this ambitious green hydrogen production facility,” said Brandon Spencer, president of ABB Energy Industries.

“Together, we will enable efforts to decarbonise global industry and progress towards a net-zero future.”

Global ammonia production currently stands at around 200 million tonnes, fed almost exclusively by fossil fuels. The green ammonia market is currently valued at just $300m but is predicted to reach $17.9 billion by 2030, driven by higher demand for sustainable fertilisers and ammonia as an alternative fuel, particularly in heavy shipping.

“GHI is honoured to be partnering with ABB on our Hydrogen City project,” says Brian Maxwell, CEO of GHI.

“Their top-notch expertise in power systems architecture, automation, electrical and digital systems provides enormous advantages for this complex project and supports our goal of producing the lowest-cost green hydrogen in South Texas.”