The energy landscape in North America is set to transform as ABB and Charbone Hydrogen Corp. join forces to develop up to 15 green hydrogen production facilities over the next five years. This strategic collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to replace grey hydrogen, derived from fossil fuels, with a cleaner alternative, green hydrogen. This shift is particularly significant for heavy industrial processes like steelmaking, which currently rely on grey hydrogen as an energy source.
The partnership positions ABB as the preferred supplier for designing, engineering, fabricating, testing, and supplying modular and standard electrical substations (eHouses) for the interconnection between production facilities and local utilities. This collaboration will also see ABB supporting Charbone in standardizing basic engineering for systems and components across its project portfolio, enhancing energy efficiency and reliability. The scope of the MoU could expand to include ABB as the main automation, electrification, and telecom contractor, depending on project requirements.
The Sorel-Tracy facility near Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is the first project under this collaboration. This facility, expected to be connected to the Hydro-Québec grid by the end of the second quarter of 2025, will utilize hydroelectricity to power green hydrogen electrolyzers. The plant will serve as a blueprint for future sites, demonstrating the potential of modular and scalable equipment. Following Sorel-Tracy, the next project will be in the greater Detroit area, a hub for major automotive companies, highlighting the strategic importance of this collaboration in decarbonizing industrial sectors.
Daniel Charette, COO of Charbone Hydrogen Corp., emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “This strategic collaboration with ABB is a strong and significant signal about our proposition for the North American green hydrogen market.” He further noted that Charbone’s plug-and-play modular approach will expedite production, supporting the decarbonization of industry.
The collaboration aligns with the Gouvernement du Québec’s Green Hydrogen and Bioenergy Strategy, which aims to reduce the region’s consumption of petroleum products by nearly one billion liters a year by 2030. This initiative could cut greenhouse gas emissions by four megatons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to removing 1.2 million gasoline-powered vehicles from the road.
Per Erik Holsten, president of ABB Energy Industries, underscored the importance of green hydrogen in the transition to a low-carbon energy future. “We are proud to collaborate with Charbone on its strategy to develop and grow green hydrogen production facilities across North America, enabling an important sector to scale and supporting industries to outrun leaner and cleaner,” he said.
In addition to the MoU, Charbone will acquire ABB’s Extended Operator Workplace (EOW) system for all planned facilities and a main Operator Workplace at Charbone’s headquarters. This system will enhance production and reduce downtime via 24/7 monitoring from local and remote-control centers, marking the first installation of such a system in green hydrogen production plants in North America.
This collaboration is poised to reshape the energy sector by accelerating the adoption of green hydrogen, a critical component in the global push towards sustainable energy. As global hydrogen demand continues to rise, with low-emissions hydrogen production projected to reach 49 Mtpa by 2030, this partnership could set a new standard for clean energy production and industrial decarbonization. The strategic locations of these facilities, including the automotive hub of Detroit, underscore the potential for green hydrogen to revolutionize energy-intensive industries, driving innovation and sustainability across North America.
