Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins Inc. (Columbus, Ind.), marked the start of operations for electrolyzer production in Fridley, Minnesota – its first electrolyzer production site in the United States. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and other federal, state and local U.S. officials joined the ribbon cutting ceremony at the site, underscoring the momentum of the green hydrogen economy and importance of continued innovation in clean tech.
“It was an honor to celebrate the opening of Accelera’s electrolyzer production line in Fridley alongside Secretary Granholm, Governor Walz and customers and partners from across the U.S. and Canada,” said Amy Davis, President of Accelera. “Large-scale electrolysis to produce green hydrogen is a key piece in the decarbonization of transportation and industry. The electrolyzer production capacity we are adding in Fridley will help us scale zero-emissions technologies in North America to meet customer demand and advance adoption. Milestones like this, highlighted by close public-private collaboration, demonstrate our relentless dedication to accelerating the shift to net zero for the industries that keep the world running.”
Accelera shared at the event that since the passing of the U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the business has received committed orders for nearly 300 megawatts (MW) of electrolyzer projects in North America. In total, these projects will produce approximately 150 tons of hydrogen per day once commissioned by the end of 2026.
“It was an honor to join the team at Accelera by Cummins and Governor Walz today to celebrate a huge milestone for the company, for Minnesota, and for the country,” said Secretary Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are leading the way to a clean energy future and it starts with clean hydrogen and the production of electrolyzers here in the United States.”
The ribbon cutting event was attended by federal, state and local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota State Senator Mary Kunesh, Minnesota State Representative Erin Koegel, and City of Fridley Mayor Scott Lund. This event follows the recent visit by President Biden on April 3, when he highlighted Cummins’ and Accelera’s achievements in advancing the clean energy transition.
Accelera is initially dedicating 89,000 sq. ft. of the existing Cummins facility in Fridley to electrolyzer production, adding 100 new jobs by 2024. The facility will produce the HyLYZER® proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer product line, including the HyLYZER-500, HyLYZER-1000 and HyLYZER-5000, which can accommodate power needs from 1.25MW to more than 200MW for both small- and large-scale hydrogen generation projects. The facility will have 500MW of production capacity annually, with plans to scale up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity in the future. The new production space in Fridley adds to Accelera’s growing global electrolyzer development and manufacturing footprint.