Electrical Power & Protection


Mitsubishi taps Emerson for hydrogen hub automation

Technews Industry Guide: Sustainable Manufacturing 2022 Electrical Power & Protection


Mitsubishi Power Americas has selected Emerson to automate the world’s largest green hydrogen production and storage facility. The industry-leading hub will help integrate renewable energy by producing and storing green hydrogen for long-duration energy storage. Mitsubishi Power will leverage Emerson’s hydrogen production experience and automation software expertise to increase safety, lower costs and simplify maintenance throughout the lifecycle of the facility.

Excess renewable energy generated during the winter and spring is difficult and costly to store in its native state for use during the peak summer season and, as a result, is wasted. The Advanced Clean Energy Storage hub will use renewable electricity to power electrolysers to produce green hydrogen. The produced hydrogen will be stored underground in salt caverns so that it can be dispatched when required to generate clean electricity from hydrogen-fuelled turbines, which will help stabilise the grid with sustainable sources and create a new pathway to decarbonisation of the western United States.

“Generating, storing and transmitting electricity with zero carbon emissions is critical to meeting the world’s sustainable power generation needs,” said Michael Ducker, senior vice president of Hydrogen Infrastructure for Mitsubishi Power Americas and president of Advanced Clean Energy Storage I. “Emerson’s hydrogen expertise and digitally connected architecture design will help shorten the time to start-up, while also developing a safe, reliable and easily scalable transmission system to meet our goals for renewable energy production and storage.”

The Advanced Clean Energy Storage hub will convert renewable energy through the 220 MW electrolyser bank to produce up to 100 tons of green hydrogen per day. The facility will have storage for 300 GWh of energy in two salt caverns. By comparison, the battery storage capacity across the United States is 2 GWh via lithium-ion batteries. The Advanced Clean Energy Storage hub has space for up to 100 caverns.

This first-of-its-kind integrated facility will provide short- and long-duration hydrogen storage for use during peak seasons and throughout the year at the nearby 840 MW Intermountain Power Project (IPP Renewed). IPP Renewed will use 30% hydrogen fuel (by volume) in Mitsubishi Power M501JAC gas turbines at start-up, transitioning to 100% by 2045. Emerson and Mitsubishi are collaborating on digital solutions for IPP Renewed to optimise plant performance, improve reliability and create cleaner, more reliable power.

“One of the most complex issues in power distribution is successfully managing variability of demand and supply to reduce stress on the grid,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business. “Mitsubishi Power has successfully leveraged the digital automation stack to develop an innovative, sustainable way to solve that problem, enabling providers to consistently use peak-production renewable energy in peak-consumption hours.”

Mitsubishi Power will use Emerson’s Ovation integrated control and safety platform to optimise the hub’s production efficiency and help ensure safe operations. The Ovation platform will provide reliable control and monitoring of the renewable hydrogen production process and emergency shutdown, fire and gas protection.

The platform will also gather and contextualise data from the plant’s wide variety of third-party systems to help eliminate complexity and risk. Emerson’s PACSystems RSTi-EP I/O will provide easier field connectivity and help facilitate project changes without extending timelines or increasing cost, while AMS Device Manager will help monitor the health of plant assets to improve safety, reliability, efficiency and sustainability.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

South African businesses can alleviate energy price crisis
Electrical Power & Protection
While grid instability remains a concern, the immediate and most critical driver of South African commercial and industrial investment in renewable energy is the escalating cost of electricity.

Read more...
Real-time modelling is the key to a resilient, bi-directional energy grid
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Utilities and municipalities are facing a challenge as the country’s legacy power grid, engineered for one-way energy delivery from centralised suppliers to end-users, must rapidly evolve to meet a new paradigm.

Read more...
Shielding data centre growth from the looming power crunch
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Today’s digital economy is placing unprecedented strain on the power grid. The good news is that these challenges are not insurmountable. By adopting proactive strategies such as alternative power sources, infrastructure planning and software, operators can secure capacity, build resilient facilities and scale sustainably.

Read more...
Circuit breaker innovations
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Recent advancements in circuit breaker technology have seen a major step forward in setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability in data centres, industrial and commercial infrastructure.

Read more...
Common battery tester errors and what they mean
Comtest Electrical Power & Protection
Battery testers help quickly assess battery health, diagnose issues, and determine whether a battery needs a charge or replacement. This guide covers some of the most common battery tester errors, what they mean, and what can cause them.

Read more...
Cathodic protection design considerations that influence ESG outcomes
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists Electrical Power & Protection
Major infrastructure like wharves, bridges, pipelines and tanks are at constant risk of corrosion. David Celine, managing director of cathodic protection specialist Omniflex, explains how CP system design can support ESG commitments, while simultaneously lowering costs and improving maintenance capabilities.

Read more...
Africa’s digital future – building critical power infrastructure for data centre leadership
Electrical Power & Protection
Africa’s digital economy is growing rapidly, and countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are leading the way. However, a major challenge remains. Sustainable and reliable power systems must form the backbone of Africa’s digital growth to ensure lasting success.

Read more...
Recovering condensate and waste heat
Electrical Power & Protection
According to Associated Energy Services, strong partnerships with thermal energy users optimise opportunities to benefit from condensate return. waste heat recovery and the prevention of system contamination.

Read more...
Quantum engine powered by particle entanglement
Electrical Power & Protection
In a landmark achievement that signals a new era in energy research, a team of physicists in China has carried out the first successful test of a quantum engine powered by particle entanglement. This technological breakthrough represents a fundamental shift in our approach to energy production.

Read more...
Advancing sustainability in South Africa’s fruit industry
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric, together with Technoserve Medium Voltage, has implemented its advanced SF6-free MV switchgear at Two-a-Day situated in Grabouw in the Overberg district.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved