Accelera Marks the Start of U.S. Electrolyzer Production in Minnesota

Accelera ™ by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins Inc., has started 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 Gov. Tim Walz, and other federal, state and local officials joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site earlier this month, 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, referring to the May 19 event.

“Large-scale electrolysis to produce green hydrogen is a key piece in the decarbonization of transportation and industry,” Davis said. “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.

Electrolyzers are key technology for separating hydrogen from water. No-carbon green hydrogen is an energy source that can be used to address the world’s climate challenges.

“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,” Secretary Granholm said of the ribbon cutting. “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.”

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.

Accelera innovates across the entire hydrogen value chain as both a components supplier and integrator. In addition to electrolyzers for hydrogen production, Accelera’s portfolio includes fuel cells that run on hydrogen, as well as battery and electrified systems that complete a battery electric or fuel cell electric powertrain to decarbonize a range of applications from heavy-duty trucks to buses to trains.

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