America continues to break records on the road to a truly green transition. One of them was to calculate the geothermal energy capacity in Yellowstone (now we have to dare to extract it, of course). But the next one is thousands of kilometers away from our borders, and with 1 GW of energy that we are going to “teleport” for the first time. It is a historic agreement that has scientists around the world on tenterhooks and has provoked China to announce retaliation.
America has signed a historic deal: 1 GW of energy to be “teleported” for the first time
For the first time in a historic deal, US firm Splitwaters and India’s Oriana Power have teamed up to bring about changes in the Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen segments in the country. Oriana Power Company Limited enters into a memorandum of understanding for new green hydrogen and e-fuel plants that will use Splitwaters’ new iris electrolyzers.
The collaboration between Oriana Power and Splitwaters encompasses several ambitious initiatives:
- Green Hydrogen and e-Fuel Facilities: The understanding will be on the creation of infrastructure for the production of green hydrogen, green ammonia, Electric Methyl Hydrate (EMH) and Green Methyl Hydrate (GMH) in India.
- Electrolyzer Manufacturing: Oriana Power holds a plan to generate a 1 GW electrolyzer manufacturing unit in India following the Splitwaters licensed technology.
- Solar Energy Integration: The core competencies that will be relevant to Oriana Power will be in the use of solar energy in the production of green hydrogen.
Some keys to understanding the solar energy “teleporting”
The joint venture between Oriana Power and Splitwaters is characterized by several key features:
- Local Expertise and Global Technology: The synergy created by the partnership between Oriana Power Global Ltd. and Splitwaters is that the former has local status and prior working experience in the Indian renewable energy industry.
- Modular Approach: In green hydrogen and e-fuel plants, Splitwaters uses a modular approach; more than 80% are made using pre-fabricated steel sections.
- Plug-and-Play Modules: It will include the use of plug-and-play modules, making it easy to assemble as it will be delivered to the site, thereby lowering the uncertainties and risks for clients and investors.
- Comprehensive Scope: It encompasses business opportunities, technology design, purchasing and construction of green hydrogen and e-fuel plants.
1 GW of energy, but the key is not there: The new fuels that could be created using this source
While specific energy production figures are not provided in the sources, the scale of the project suggests significant potential:
- 1 GW Electrolyzer Capacity: The proposed electrolyzer manufacturing plant would have a capacity of 1 GW; hence, there is a high capacity for green hydrogen production.
- Solar Energy Integration: Swimming pool lighting uses are to be met by Oriana Power Company, which specializes in photovoltaic systems, more specifically, floating solar systems that will be used in generating electrical power to fuel the green hydrogen production process.
- Multiple e-Fuels: The plan is also to generate green hydrogen, green ammonia, e-methanol, and green methanol, among other energy products, in order to diversify the product output.
A successful partnership to create new technologies: What America tries to achieve
The partnership brings together several cutting-edge technologies:
- Splitwaters’ Alkaline Electrolyzer: Compared with traditional electrolyzers, this high-efficiency electrolyzer has a longer stack life and the ability to change according to the fluctuation of renewable energy sources.
- Modular Electrolyzer Design: Components used in Splitwaters electrolyzers include electrolyzers that can be scaled up and can also be integrated easily.
- Floating Solar Panels: The expertise in the installation of floating solar power stations will be used to produce renewable power that will be used in the production of hydrogen.
- e-Fuel Production Technologies: The project will embed the technologies for the production of green ammonia, e-methanol and green methanol from hydrogen.
The truth is that the “teleportation” of solar energy is not an unprecedented project, but it was NASA itself who achieved it (and in the literal sense this time) several years ago. This was a demonstration of how this source is more futuristic than we imagined and that it has more to show us. One example is the Dyson spheres, which have even been studied by scientists (though not covering the Sun, but covering part of the Earth’s atmosphere and not obscuring the planet, unlike the alarming headlines).
