Florida Power & Light taps Cummins for its green hydrogen facility

Published on March 01, 2022 by Dave Kovaleski

Cummins Inc. was selected to supply a 25-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer system for Florida Power & Light Company’s (FPL) Cavendish NextGen Hydrogen Hub.

This carbon-free hydrogen plant is the first of its kind in Florida, FPL officials said.

“At FPL, we are always looking over the horizon and focused on making smart, long-term investments to build a more modern, stronger, and cleaner energy grid that future generations can depend on,” Eric Silagy, FPL president and CEO, said. “Since building our first solar energy center in 2009, FPL has constructed 50 solar energy centers, commissioned the world’s largest solar-powered battery, and embarked on innovative pilot programs to advance microgrid technology and electric vehicle (EV) charging while eliminating coal from our fleet in Florida. Now, we are helping usher in the next era of Florida’s clean energy future with a ‘green’ hydrogen pilot project that could be key to unlocking 100% carbon-free electricity.”

The FPL Cavendish NextGen Hydrogen Hub will use solar energy to power the electrolysis process that produces “green,” or carbon-free, hydrogen from water. The carbon-free hydrogen will then be blended with natural gas and used to power an existing combustion turbine at the co-located FPL Okeechobee Clean Energy Center.

The system will be composed of five Cummins HyLYZER-1000 PEM electrolyzers for a total of 25 MW – or 10.8 tons of hydrogen produced per day.

“This project is exciting for Cummins as we establish green hydrogen as a viable way to decarbonize the economy here in the United States,” Amy Davis, vice president and president of New Power at Cummins, said. “An electrolyzer installation of this magnitude further solidifies PEM technology as a key to reaching zero emissions in energy-intensive industries. FPL’s commitment to the acceleration of the energy transition and support of future demand for affordable renewables is one we passionately share.”

Cummins has more than 600 active electrolyzers worldwide and has deployed more than 2,000 hydrogen fuel cells. Cummins technology powers the world’s largest PEM electrolyzer in operation at 20 MW in Bécancour, Canada. It has also powered the world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train in Europe and the first hydrogen refueling station for ships, cars, trucks, and industrial customers in Antwerp, Belgium.

Florida Power & Light provides energy to more than 11 million residents across Florida.