Schneider Electric partners on off-grid hydrogen production and storage

Schneider Electric and green hydrogen production and storage firm Hy Stor Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding to support the development of Hy Stor Energy’s Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub (MCHH).

In this agreement, Schneider Electric will be the main automation and electrical contractor and partner for digital energy management and automation solutions for Hy Stor Energy’s operations. This will include the provision of AVEVA process operation and AI optimisation software, weather analysis, predictive operations and digital energy management solutions.

Laura Luce, CEO and founder of Hy Stor Energy, said in a statement: “Innovating both the physical and digital operation of renewable and storage assets is a critical part of the energy transition.

"We’re grateful to have a digital partner that understands the importance of deploying climate-aligned renewable hydrogen solutions and look forward to deploying first-of-its-kind, 100% renewable, fossil-free energy that’s dispatchable to our customers 24/7.”

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Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub

The MCHH project is a fully integrated renewable hydrogen ecosystem.

It will feature Hy Stor Energy's solution including on-site renewable hydrogen production via electrolysis and off-grid renewable power, coupled with hydrogen storage in purpose-built salt caverns to deliver energy storage dispatched on demand.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast was selected for the project because of its maritime and infrastructure assets, the abundance of solar and wind energy, and its naturally occurring underground salt formations that can support the development of large caverns. Furthermore, the project aims to uplift local, disadvantaged communities by providing economic growth opportunities.

Heather Cykoski, senior vice president, Industrial & Process Automation North America, Schneider Electric, added: “Projects like the Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub will help usher in the transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable forms of energy. Our collaboration will help Hy Stor Energy optimise their facility, from engineering and operation through energy management and storage.”

Listen to this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast for insights from Professor Dr Emmanouil Kakaras, Executive Vice President NEXT Energy Business, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA, about how to build an effective hydrogen economy and ecosystem.