Cummins to supply 20 MW electrolyzer for Canada

Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, announced it has selected Cummins Inc. to design and manufacture the electrolyzer system for its Niagara Hydrogen Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. This will be Ontario’s first 20 MW green hydrogen facility.

Cummins’ proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis system will be manufactured at the company’s its Mississauga, Ontario, facility and will be the centerpiece of Atura Power’s Niagara Hydrogen Centre. Powered by renewable hydroelectricity, the electrolyzer system will split water into oxygen and green hydrogen. The carbon-free green hydrogen will then be provided to industrial customers for immediate consumption and will be transported and blended into the fuel stream at Atura Power’s Halton Hills Generating Station, creating cleaner electricity for Ontario.

Cummins will supply a 20 MW electrolyzer to Atura Power for its Niagara Hydrogen Centre in Canada. (Photo: Cummins)

“The Niagara Hydrogen Centre is our flagship facility that will set the pace for our green and low-carbon hydrogen projects,” said Shelley Babin, president and CEO of Atura Power. “The heart of the facility is the electrolyzer, and we are excited to be working with an experienced and accomplished industry leader in Cummins.”

Detailed design work and system integration is underway, with plans to bring the Niagara Hydrogen Centre online in early 2024.

Atura Power conducted a competitive procurement process in early 2022 and said Cummins provided a strong technical solution for the Niagara Hydrogen Centre. Cummins acquired Mississauga-based Hydrogenics in 2019 and has continued to expand its hydrogen and other zero-emissions technologies portfolio, which includes PEM and alkaline electrolyzer solutions.

Atura Power is implementing a low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen program that will help reduce greenhouse gases, while supporting economy-wide decarbonization. Green and low-carbon hydrogen will reduce or offset emissions in a variety of applications, including:

- As a low-carbon fuel substitute for feedstock in high-emitting industrial processes

- Blending hydrogen with natural gas to reduce its carbon impact.

- Powering fuel cells in vehicles which could help decarbonize the heavy-duty and long-haul trucking industry.

“We are thrilled to partner with Atura Power to provide green power in Ontario,” said Alexey Ustinov, vice president of Electrolyzers at Cummins. “This project is a great demonstration of the potential of PEM electrolyzer technology to decarbonize our power sources and lay the groundwork for a sustainable future.

“Once completed, this project will be the second 20 MW electrolyzer installation for Cummins in Canada and an important milestone in scaling the green hydrogen economy in North America.”