Element Resources plans to build and operate a renewable hydrogen production facility in the Lancaster, California, further expanding the duo’s relationship to build one of California’s largest green hydrogen production facilities. The project, located within Lancaster’s city limits, is less than 100 miles from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and will supply end-users throughout greater Los Angeles.
Credit: Element Resources
Element Resources will produce 20,000 tons of renewable hydrogen annually through its first phase. This facility will also be one of the anchor projects in Lancaster’s Eastside Overlay, which will be the site of the city’s clean energy portfolio.
“The city of Lancaster is excited to expand our partnership with Element Resources on the largest renewable green hydrogen production project in the U.S.,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Lancaster is building a robust hydrogen production capacity to enable regional decarbonization. We believe municipalities can lead the fight against climate change from the bottom up by unleashing businesses’ innovative capacities by removing barriers to market.”
The facility, which is expected to begin commercial operations in early 2025, will use dedicated solar to power Element’s electrolyzers to produce zero-emission, renewable hydrogen. The increased hydrogen production capacity will serve the growing demand for clean mobility fuels as well as clean energy for manufacturing. The project will create about 250 jobs during the construction phase, and 36 permanent jobs.
”We are pleased to be working with the city of Lancaster. They have a proactive approach to energy transition that sets the stage for early operations of the Lancaster Clean Energy Center, which is strategically located with access to highway and rail transportation to key southern California markets,” said Steve Meheen, Element Resources’ CEO. “The opportunity with the city of Lancaster is nothing less than a World Class Green Energy Center serving the Western United States and perhaps reaching into Asian Markets as well.”
News item from Element Resources
“The facility, which is expected to begin commercial operations in early 2025, will use dedicated solar to power Element’s electrolyzers to produce zero-emission, renewable hydrogen. The increased hydrogen production capacity will serve the growing demand for clean mobility fuels as well as clean energy for manufacturing. The project will create about 250 jobs during the construction phase, and 36 permanent jobs.”
The “tell” here is the mention that the Lancaster facility is about 100 miles from the ports of LA and Long Beach. That speaks of a “new” pipeline, through population dense areas of something like $5 million to $8 million dollars a mile for a pipeline that will have to be designed to deliver hydrogen to the ports OR Semis with high pressure tanks will ferry the hydrogen to port using probably diesel drivetrains. Some studies have determined a mix of 5% hydrogen with a natural gas mix can be supported with the pipelines currently in place. This project is being called “green hydrogen” so where does the water come from in California where the State is still in severe drought, even after the rains and flooding over the last month or so?