ABB and Charbone Hydrogen Collaborate to Develop Modular Green Hydrogen Production Facilities in North America

Montreal, Canada – ABB and Charbone Hydrogen, a leading green hydrogen production company based in Montreal, Canada, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of up to 15 modular and scalable green hydrogen production facilities across North America over the next five years. This partnership aims to provide a sustainable, clean fuel source for industries that currently rely on grey hydrogen, such as steelmaking, and will also serve existing hydrogen users in various heavy industrial processes.

Under the terms of the MoU, ABB will act as the preferred supplier for the design, engineering, fabrication, testing, and supply of modular and standard electrical substations. These substations will ensure efficient interconnection between Charbone’s production facilities and local utilities, improving energy efficiency and reliability. ABB will also support Charbone in standardising engineering systems and components across the project portfolio. Depending on the specific project requirements, ABB may also serve as the main automation, electrification, and telecom contractor.

One of the initial facilities covered under this collaboration is Charbone’s Sorel-Tracy plant, located near Montreal. This facility is expected to be connected to the Hydro-Québec grid by the end of the second quarter of 2025. It will leverage hydroelectric power to drive green hydrogen electrolysers, which produce hydrogen through a clean, renewable process. The Sorel-Tracy facility will serve as a blueprint for designing and engineering modular, scalable equipment that will be replicated at additional Charbone sites across North America. Following Sorel-Tracy, the next major project will be based in the greater Detroit area, a key manufacturing hub for the automotive industry in the United States.

Daniel Charette, Chief Operating Officer of Charbone Hydrogen, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “This collaboration with ABB is a strong and significant signal about our commitment to the North American green hydrogen market. With the Sorel-Tracy project moving rapidly into on-site activities, Charbone’s modular approach will allow us to quickly initiate production in a matter of weeks, driving forward the decarbonisation of industry.”

The global demand for hydrogen is steadily increasing, especially in the refining and chemical sectors, which together accounted for 97 megatons (Mt) of hydrogen consumption in 2023—a 2.5% increase from the previous year. Although low-emissions hydrogen production is currently limited to less than 1Mt, it is projected to reach 49Mt per annum by 2030, driven by ongoing and upcoming projects like those planned by Charbone Hydrogen.

Through this collaboration, ABB and Charbone Hydrogen are setting the stage for a cleaner, more sustainable future for North America’s industrial sector.