Gigawatts of solar and wind plants from renewables developer Apex Clean Energy could be used to power a green hydrogen hub in Texas that would help decarbonise hard-to-abate industries.
The planned project would produce green hydrogen and other derivative green fuels at “volumes not yet seen in the US” to accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy industry, agriculture and transport, according to the partners behind the venture.
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Apex, funds managed by private equity firm Ares Management Corporation, pipeline operator Epic Midstream and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) have signed a memorandum of understanding for the gigawatt-scale green fuels hub.
The partners will now explore the development of green hydrogen production, storage, transportation and export operation, including a new pipeline and green fuels hub to be built at the Port of Corpus Christi on the Texas Gulf Coast.
“This project seeks to generate and deliver green hydrogen and other clean fuels precisely where they are needed most – at the industrial backbone of our nation,” said Apex Clean Energy CEO Mark Goodwin. He added that the company would leverage its solar and wind resources in Texas to help decarbonise the transportation, shipping, fertiliser, chemical and refining sectors.
Virginia-headquartered Apex’s portfolio of operational and under-development PV plants in Texas include the 300MW Welder plant, 120MW Starling install and 15MW Phantom farm, according to the company’s website.
Funds managed by Ares Management Corporation acquired a majority stake in Apex last October, with the developer going on to secure a partnership with timberland company Weyerhaeuser for the development of 1GW of solar and solar-plus-storage projects in the US.
The green hydrogen collaboration builds on a memorandum of understanding signed last May by Ares and PCCA, as they looked to develop renewable energy infrastructure on the port authority’s property to support the production of green hydrogen.