Ohmium, partner plan hydrogen project to green Chile's mining industry

US electrolyser systems maker Ohmium International has joined forces with Chile-based H2 Green Mining to develop a 20 MW green hydrogen project, with a potential to rapidly scale to 200 MW, dedicated to the decarbonisation of Chile’s mining operations.

The partnership will start with the 20-MW pilot project in the Atacama Desert and will potentially gear up for a rapid scale-up, Ohmium said on Friday.

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The demo facility is set to be installed in the town of Calama in Northern Chile, deploying Ohmium’s Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser technology. Using electricity from renewable energy plants in the area, which offers good conditions for generating wind and solar power, the plant will produce hydrogen for the copper smelting industry and other thermal processes within the mining sector. Among the potential applications for the green hydrogen is to fuel trucks transporting minerals.

“This pioneering project will pair Chile’s excellent renewable energy potential with the power of green hydrogen to help decarbonize Chile’s mining industry,” said Arne Ballantine, Ohmium’s CEO.

Ohmium, which last year raised USD 250 million (EUR 234.5m) in growth capital, is based in Fremont, California, but manufactures in India. The company has a global green hydrogen project pipeline of more than 2 GW.

Green hydrogen developer H2 Green Mining is a joint venture between Susterra, a unit of engineering firm Pares&Alvarez, and energy consultancy Star Energy Partners.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.938)