ABB tech selected for Norway's HyPilot green hydrogen project

ABB has been selected to supply power technology to the HyPilot project, the in-field demonstration of Norwegian company Hystar’s 1MW containerised PEM electrolysers.

The project, being delivered by Equinor, Yara and Gassco, is based at the Kårstø Gas Processing Plant in Rogaland, Norway, and will be delivered in Q4 of 2023.

ABB will supply its low-harmonic insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) rectifiers and DC-DC converters, which will regulate the supply of electricity to the electrolyser.

ABB will also provide local support and expertise on the ground in Norway throughout the project’s duration.

Operators will gather data during the 10,000-hour trial to demonstrate that green hydrogen can be produced cost-effectively and reliably by utilising renewable energy sources.

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The results from the HyPilot project aim to demonstrate how Hystar’s electrolysers can be utilised to reduce the production cost of green hydrogen on an industrial scale, providing performance data from various operating regimes to verify long-term commercial operation.

Chris Poynter, division president, ABB System Drives, commented: “The electrolyser power system minimizes the network’s harmonic content and footprint while maximizing efficiency and power factor. This helps drive down the levelized cost of green hydrogen production, which is a key factor to accelerate its adoption.”

Fredrik Mowill, CEO of Hystar, says: “HyPilot represents an important milestone for the green hydrogen industry, as it unites leading industry players behind Hystar’s patented, ultra-efficient electrolysers. ABB’s important contribution will enable us to rigorously test under a range of conditions, facilitating the widespread adoption of large-scale green hydrogen production.”

Hystar makes PEM electrolysers for the large-scale production of green hydrogen. As a spin-off from SINTEF, one of Europe’s leading research organisations, Hystar has more than 15 years of history of research into PEM technology