North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and energy industry officials have announced a plan to establish a hub for so-called clean hydrogen that someday could be used in everything from powering vehicles to energy generation. Burgum hailed the project Wednesday as a big part of the state’s plan of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030, “through innovation not regulation.” No specific timeline or a cost for the project was disclosed. Houston-based Bakken Energy and Mitsubishi Power Americas also announced non-specific details of negotiations with Basin Electric Power Cooperative to acquire and redevelop the Bismarck-based company’s financially troubled synthetic natural gas plant in western North Dakota.
AP
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Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford today joined officials from Bakken Energy LLC and Mitsubishi Power Americas Inc. as they announced a strategic partnership agreement to establish a world-class clean hydrogen hub in North Dakota.
Company officials said the hub will consist of facilities that produce, store, transport and consume clean hydrogen, a carbon-free fuel and energy carrier. The hub will focus on the production of blue hydrogen, which is derived from natural gas with the carbon dioxide emissions captured and sequestered, and will be connected by pipeline to other clean hydrogen hubs being developed throughout North America.
Bakken Energy, supported by Mitsubishi Power, also announced it is working with Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its subsidiary Dakota Gasification Co. on the potential acquisition and redevelopment of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant located near Beulah, N.D. The redevelopment would make the facility the largest producer of clean hydrogen in North America. The project is in due diligence, and specific details are confidential until that phase is complete.
“Blue hydrogen represents a huge opportunity for synergies with our existing energy development, and these are exactly the innovative strategies that will bring North Dakota one step closer to being carbon neutral by 2030 with an all-of-the-above energy approach,” Burgum said. “We’re grateful that these companies are leading the way to making this the next big industry in North Dakota. The state is committed to supporting the development of exciting value-added projects like this to create jobs, diversify our economy and strengthen U.S. energy security.”
“We are grateful for Bakken Energy’s commitment to further developing North Dakota’s abundant energy resources,” Sanford said. “From exploring salt cavern storage for natural gas liquids and hydrogen to next generation power projects, Steve Lebow and the Bakken Energy team are truly on the cutting edge of innovative energy solutions, helping us find new niches for North Dakota’s all-of-the-above energy offering and our unique geological footprint. We thank Bakken Energy and Basin Electric for collaborating to build upon our long story of energy innovation at Dakota Gasification, and we congratulate and welcome the Mitsubishi Power team to North Dakota and look forward to an exciting future of energy innovation together.”
(Gov. Burgum release)
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Bakken Energy, LLC, formerly Bakken Midstream Natural Gas, LLC, (Bakken Energy) and Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc. (Mitsubishi Power) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to create a world-class clean hydrogen hub in North Dakota. This hub will be composed of facilities that produce, store, transport and consume clean hydrogen. It will be connected by pipeline to other clean hydrogen hubs being developed throughout North America.
Developing infrastructure for hydrogen enables decarbonization of sectors such as energy, agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing that are targeting net zero carbon emissions. Hydrogen is a carbon-free energy carrier and a carbon-free fuel. The most common forms of clean hydrogen are green and blue. Green hydrogen is created from water using renewable energy and electrolysis. Blue hydrogen is derived from natural gas with the carbon dioxide emissions captured and sequestered. The hub in North Dakota will focus on blue hydrogen production.
The Bakken Energy partnership to create a clean hydrogen hub joins Mitsubishi Power’s portfolio of innovative partnerships and cross-sector teams accelerating hydrogen technology realization. Mitsubishi Power has been developing a hydrogen hub with Magnum Development in Utah to support the western U.S., and in May signed an agreement to develop hydrogen storage solutions with Texas Brine across the eastern U.S. The company also has numerous hydrogen projects and collaborations across North America.*
Bakken Energy, supported by Mitsubishi Power, is currently working with Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its subsidiary Dakota Gasification Company on the potential acquisition and redevelopment of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant located near Beulah, North Dakota. The redevelopment would make the facility the largest producer of clean hydrogen in North America. The project is in due diligence, and specific details are confidential until that phase is complete.
“Blue hydrogen represents a huge opportunity for synergies with our existing energy development, and these are exactly the innovative strategies that will bring North Dakota one step closer to being carbon neutral by 2030 with an all-of-the-above energy approach,” said North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. “We’re grateful that these companies are leading the way to making this the next big industry in North Dakota. The state is committed to supporting the development of exciting value-added projects like this to create jobs, diversify our economy and strengthen U.S. energy security.”
Bakken Energy Founder and Chairman Steven E. Lebow adds, “From the beginning our company has been dedicated to optimal development and stewardship of North Dakota’s energy resources. We are a company of innovators and doers that make things happen in a big way.** The State of North Dakota along with Gov. Burgum and Lt. Gov. Sanford have been champions for businesses that want to reimagine and reinvent what is possible for their state. We couldn’t have gotten this far without the unfailing support of this administration.”
“We believe that clean hydrogen derived from natural gas, with the carbon captured and with its cost advantages, is the best way to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen,” said Mike Hopkins, CEO of Bakken Energy. “Bakken Energy intends to be the largest and lowest cost producer of clean hydrogen in the United States.”
“While still early in the due diligence process, we are excited about the prospect of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant being redeveloped into a world class clean hydrogen complex, and everything that means for the workforce, the region and the whole state,” said Paul Sukut, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
“We are grateful for Bakken Energy’s commitment to further developing North Dakota’s abundant energy resources. From exploring salt cavern storage for natural gas liquids and hydrogen to next generation power projects, Steve Lebow and the Bakken Energy team are truly on the cutting edge of innovative energy solutions, helping us find new niches for North Dakota’s all-of-the-above energy offering and our unique geological footprint,” Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford said. “We thank Bakken Energy and Basin Electric for collaborating to build upon our long story of energy innovation at Dakota Gasification, and we congratulate and welcome the Mitsubishi Power team to North Dakota and look forward to an exciting future of energy innovation together.”
Paul Browning, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, said, “We’ve recently announced green hydrogen agreements supported by the Governors of Utah and California, and the City of Los Angeles, and now we’re announcing a blue hydrogen hub with the support of the Governor of North Dakota. This is part of our strategy to bring decarbonized hydrogen throughout North America to customers in the power, transportation and industrial sectors. Together with our partners and customers, we are creating a Change in Power.”
(Bakken/Mitsubishi release)
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