Bloom Energy to install green hydrogen system at Minnesota nuclear power plant

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Bloom Energy announced plans to install a hydrogen-producing electrolyzer at the Xcel Energy Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant in Minnesota. The plant is located south of Minneapolis-St. Paul along the Mississippi River.

Bloom, based in northern California, builds fuel cells and electrolyzers at its site in Newark. Employment has risen to 700, according to the company.

Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer – is built on its solid oxide platform which was adopted from its electricity-producing fuel cells.

The technology is being evaluated for use at nuclear power plants and by the Idaho National Laboratory. The process could allow nuclear power plants to operate more efficiently at times when electricity demand is down. Nuclear power is less flexible than other forms of generation in dealing with ups and downs in demand.

Currently, hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels in an energy-intensve process.

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“Xcel Energy’s nuclear power plants already play a vital role in our energy mix, delivering clean, reliable, and affordable power for our customers while avoiding hundreds of millions of tons of emissions,” said Peter Gardner, senior vice president, and chief nuclear officer at Xcel Energy, a clean energy provider that serves eight Western and Midwestern states. “This project will provide a tremendous opportunity to better understand how our existing nuclear plants can contribute to the development of hydrogen technologies and build a carbon-free future.”

The Prairie Island facility – one of Xcel Energy’s two nuclear power plants that produce nearly 30% of the electricity provided to its customers in the Upper Midwest – faces extreme winter weather annually and led Xcel Energy to turn to Bloom Energy, a release stated.

The plant has long been the target of criticism due to its location in an environmentally sensitive area along the upper Mississippi River. Water from the river that has its share of pollution issues is used in cooling the reactor. Water use is controversial since it affects fish.

“Xcel Energy has long championed what we at Bloom Energy know is true: Our net-zero future hinges on energy that’s not only clean but also resilient, accessible and affordable,” said Rick Beuttel, vice president, hydrogen business, Bloom Energy. “In today’s climate of extreme weather, fluctuating costs, and global energy insecurity, hydrogen offers unmatched potential to leverage existing infrastructure for clean, abundant energy. Combined with Xcel Energy’s nuclear infrastructure, Bloom Energy’s solid oxide platform – which offers exceptional efficiency – can help us achieve our shared goal of an accessible net-zero future through low-cost, zero-carbon hydrogen.”

Engineering for the 240 kW demonstration is currently underway, with construction expected to begin in late 2023 with the system powering up in early 2024.

Bloom has its critics who claim its hydrogen and electricity production is too expensive to be practical. For its part, Bloom says the technology is affordable.

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