Nel has received a purchase order for an MC250 containerized proton exchange membrane electrolyzer to generate renewable hydrogen at a new wastewater treatment facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota, US.
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Tracy Hodel, St. Cloud’s Public Services Director, said: “In the future, the whole community of St. Cloud will use renewable hydrogen to decarbonize a wide range of sectors.”
In St. Cloud, a city of around 70,000 inhabitants in central Minnesota, wastewater is transformed into fertilizer and fuel. The city will begin creating sustainable hydrogen using solar electricity and biogas generated during treatment.
Hydrogen can be utilized on-site for heating and electricity, stored when excess renewable energy is created, and used when solar and biogas are unavailable. The research will also examine the feasibility of extracting oxygen in the facility's aeration system.
Energy Neutral Since 2020
The wastewater treatment facility has launched various innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts, including installing solar panels, two biofuel generators, and on-site biogas storage.
This is enough to meet the facility’s complete energy requirement on days with high renewable energy output. The facility has been energy-neutral since 2020. During peak hours, when the plant produces more renewable energy than it requires, it delivers electricity to the local grid. The facility also receives community solar garden credits that are not generated by the grid.
St. Cloud is well-known for its sustainability leadership. The city generates three times more energy than it consumes as a municipality. The goal is to achieve carbon neutrality for electrical consumption in 2028 and for electrical, building heat, and transportation in 2038.
A Path to a Cleaner Future
Hodel envisions a future in which the entire town uses hydrogen to decarbonize various sectors, including the city’s fleet of vehicles, which include police cars, fire trucks, and snowplows.
“Forging a path to a cleaner future, this innovative green hydrogen project stands as a bold testament to our community’s commitment to decarbonizing the energy and transportation sectors. It’s not just about embracing new technology; it’s about daring to lead with courage and vision to make a difference for tomorrow’s future,” adds Hodel.
The project is scheduled to start producing hydrogen in 2025.
“It is inspiring to see the commitment to sustainability in the city of St. Cloud. We are proud to support them in their ambitious efforts to reach net zero,” says Nel's Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Steve Szymanski.
Think about what you flush - it has amazing potential | Tracy Hodel | TEDxStCloud
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This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Nel Hydrogen.
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