Accelera, a business segment of Cummins Inc., will supply a 90-MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system for Varennes Carbon Recycling’s (VCR) plant in Quebec, Canada. VCR is a consortium between Shell, Suncor, and Proman, with the support of the Canadian and Quebec governments. The biorefinery will be powered by the exclusive waste-to-methanol technology platform developed by Enerkem.
This electrolyzer system will be comprised of four HyLYZER-5000s — Accelera’s largest electrolyzer product. Each HyLYZER-5000 uses 25-MW of electricity and can produce up to 10 tons (9.1 tonnes) of hydrogen per day. The installation will provide the capacity needed to generate clean, renewable hydrogen and oxygen for VCR’s conversion of waste material to low-carbon-intensity fuels and circular chemicals. The facility is under construction and scheduled to be operational in 2025.
An electrolyzer splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can be stored as a compressed gas or liquid and used as an energy-dense, clean power source to help decarbonize a variety of hard-to-abate sectors. The VCR plant will use both the renewable hydrogen and oxygen to recycle carbon and hydrogen from waste materials.
Cummins launched its zero-emissions technology brand Accelera on March 8, 2023 with a broad portfolio of renewable hydrogen solutions that have been part of many of the world’s hydrogen firsts, including powering the world’s largest PEM electrolyzer in operation at 20 MW in Bécancour, Canada; the world’s first MW-scale demonstration plant for storing wind energy in the natural gas grid in Windgas Falkenhagen, Germany; and the world’s first hydrogen refueling station for ships, cars, trucks, and industrial customers in Antwerp, Belgium.
“Our partnership with VCR illustrates Accelera’s role as a global technology leader and highlights our ability to scale hydrogen production across a variety of industries,” said Amy Davis, president of Accelera by Cummins. “This project will be the first installation of Accelera’s HyLYZER-5000, which generates five times more hydrogen than any of our PEM electrolyzer products currently in use and can accommodate the power needs for large-scale hydrogen production. Additionally, this is the first time our electrolyzers will power biofuel and circular chemical production, showcasing our unique capabilities to innovate and meet customer demands while accelerating the shift to net-zero emissions.”
“VCR is thrilled to partner with Cummins’ new brand Accelera on this ground-breaking project,” said Cole Henderson, general manager and portfolio engineering director at VCR. “Accelera’s PEM electrolyzer product, when coupled with the Enerkem technology platform, will double the yield of the methanol produced from waste material. The synergies of the colocation of the biorefinery and the electrolyzer, powered with Quebec clean electricity, really set a new precedent in the biofuel and circular chemicals sectors. We are looking forward to this new strategic partnership.”
