ABB and Hynamics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the EDF Group, have signed an agreement to study how the integration of the ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® energy management system (EMS) can help optimize hydrogen production costs. This new system is being deployed at Hynamics’ low-carbon hydrogen production and distribution station “AuxHYGen” in Auxerre.
Hynamics has signed a collaboration agreement with ABB to test the ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® for Green Hydrogen Energy Management System (EMS). Installed at the AuxHYGen production and distribution station in Auxerre in November 2022, it will contribute to the optimization of hydrogen production costs by up to 16%1, according to ABB modeling.
In order to optimize the production costs of low-carbon2 or renewable3 hydrogen, the performance of the electrolysis process — which uses electricity to separate water molecules into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) — can be improved. ABB’s OPTIMAX® system helps by taking into account all aspects of the life cycle and condition of the hydrogen production unit, from simulation during the design and engineering phases to real-time monitoring of energy consumption during operation. ABB’s OPTIMAX® is already available on five other industrial applications.
The system provides data that can help determine the optimal levels of energy consumption required to produce hydrogen and minimize waste. The tool takes into account, among other things, the variability of electricity prices, asset availability and other associated factors.
The companies have agreed to share their respective resources to determine the compatibility of their solutions. The ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® EMS for Green Hydrogen is deployed in Auxerre, the first low-carbon hydrogen production and distribution station designed and operated by Hynamics. The “AuxHYGen” station, with a capacity of 1 MW of electrolysis, powers the first five hydrogen buses operated by Transdev Auxerrois on the Leo urban transport network, as well as a few light vehicles. This low-carbon mobility project avoids the emission of 2,200 tonnes of CO2 every year.
“With complementary areas of expertise, the cooperation between ABB and Hynamics will allow us to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen projects on an industrial scale. The integration of ABB’s energy management system is a necessary step to improve the performance of the electrolysis process and thus optimize the cost of hydrogen production,” said Christelle Rouillé, CEO of Hynamics.
“We recently launched our ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® system specifically for green hydrogen to help production companies overcome the challenges of electrolysis in terms of high costs and energy-intensive processes,” said Bruno Roche, Global Head of Energy Transition at ABB. “This first deployment of our EMS for green hydrogen is significant and, we hope, the first of many on our journey towards achieving a collective goal of building a resilient global hydrogen ecosystem for a clean energy future.”
The agreement also provides for the deployment of the cloud for EMS at Hynamics’ operations control center, performance and reliability testing by EDF and deployment at other Hynamics production sites in 2023.
A propos
The activity Process Automation ABB is a leader in automation, electrification and digitalization for the process and hybrid industries. We serve our customers with a broad portfolio of products, systems and end-to-end solutions, including our #1 distributed control system, software and lifecycle services, industry-specific products as well as measurement and analytics, and maritime offerings. As the world’s #2 market leader, we draw on our deep domain expertise, diverse team and global presence, and are committed to helping our customers increase their competitiveness, improve their return on investment and drive safe, intelligent and sustainable operations.
ABB ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are made, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com
Hynamics is a subsidiary of the EDF group which offers players in industry and mobility a turnkey offer for the production, storage and distribution of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen, ensuring the investment, operation and maintenance of production and distribution facilities. www.hynamics.com
