Accelera by Cummins Supplying Chevron with 5 MW Electrolyzers for Solar-to-Hydrogen Project
Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins, will supply Chevron New Energies with a 5 MW electrolyzer system to produce low carbon intensity (LCI) electrolytic hydrogen in Lost Hills, California.
The project is part of a strategic agreement between Cummins and Chevron to adopt hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and other alternative lower-carbon-intensity fuels for commercial and industrial use in North America.
The Chevron facility will consist of two Accelera proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, which will produce hydrogen on-site through the utilization of solar power and non-potable produced water from Chevron’s existing assets at the Lost Hills Oil Field in Kern County.
Electrolyzers operate by using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then either stored or transported as a liquid or gas, and the oxygen is either released into the atmosphere or used for other business purposes. When powered by renewable electricity - such as wind or solar - the hydrogen production process becomes emissions-free.
The electrolyzer system at the Chevron facility will generate over 2 tons of hydrogen per day at fuel-cell-grade purity - enough to fuel 80 freight trucks up to 600 miles.
Accelera electrolyzer technology powers more than 60 hydrogen refueling stations worldwide, including a multimodal station in Antwerp, Belgium, to fuel cars, trucks, buses, and ships and a 25 MW electrolyzer system for Florida Power & Light Company's Cavendish NextGen Hydrogen Hub in Florida, which will be fully commissioned and operational in early 2024.
“We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Chevron as we work toward shared goals of advancing the hydrogen ecosystem and lowering emissions,” said Andreas Lippert, Vice President and General Manager of Electrolyzers for Accelera. “This new hydrogen production project in California will continue building on Accelera’s hydrogen innovation and demonstrates the kind of partnership that enables the shift to zero emissions.”
