Trillium orders 1 MW electrolyser from Nel Hydrogen

The US subsidiary of the Norwegian energy group Nel has received a multi-million-dollar order from Trillium. Nel will supply a one-megawatt electrolyser to produce hydrogen for a fuel cell bus project in Illinois.

The fuel cell buses will be run by local public transport operator MTD which has ordered twelve FCVs. Trillium Transportation Fuels is responsible for the hydrogen supply. The planned H2 filling station will use Nel’s electrolyser to produce hydrogen locally as Nel will build the plant in the city of Urbana. The communication does not specify the power source, but it is crucial for the environmental balance of hydrogen production.

Specifically, it is a proton PEM electrolyser with a capacity of one megawatt. Nel puts the total order, including the equipment and associated services, at 2.2 million dollars (€1.9M). Delivery is scheduled for the end of 2020.

“Trillium is a true leader in providing alternative fuel solutions for transit fleets, and MTD is an exciting innovator in the public transportation sector,” said Steve Szymanski, Director of Business Development for Nel Hydrogen US. He added the company was “honoured to work with both on this project”.

Trillium has already opened a hydrogen filling station for another project in California. In Santa Ana, Orange County, the filling station was built together with Ballard Fuel Systems and New Flyer. There, a bus should be able to refuel in six to ten minutes. Currently, there are ten H2 buses on the road in the project there, but the station could be equipped for up to 50 vehicles at low cost, according to Trillium.

With reporting by Sebastian Schaal, Germany.

nelhydrogen.com, trilliumcng.com (California)