BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On November 28, Fusion Fuel, a company based in Portugal that develops solar-to-hydrogen electrolyzer technology, and Electus Energy, a green energy infrastructure developer, announced in a press release that they have entered into a land-lease agreement with Kern County to build a large-scale hydrogen fuel project in Bakersfield.
The county has agreed to lease the two companies 320 acres in Bakersfield, and Fusion Fuel has already hired Kansas-based construction engineering company Black & Veatch to perform a concept study for the project. Fusion Fuel is also working with Cornerstone Engineering, a Bakersfield-based construction and land development company.
According to the November press release, the proposed project will employ Fusion Fuel's proprietary HEVO technology in a 75 megawatt solar-to-hydrogen facility. The project will cost approximately $180 million dollars, and will be capable of producing up to 9,300 tons of green hydrogen per year, or the equivalent energy used by 1,000 class 8 freight trucks every day.
Zachary Steele, Co-Head of Fusion Fuel, says expanding past southern Europe and into North America was always part of the company's long-term plans, and that the timeline has been sped up by provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act offering incentives for green energy initiatives.
"Bakersfield will be the first anchor project of our U.S. strategy, which is heavily focused on the hydrogen mobility and logistics opportunity, and envisions a hydrogen highway from California to Texas," said Steele.
According to the press release, a final investment decision on the project is expected in early 2024, and project commissioning will happen in the first half of 2025.
23ABC has reached out to Kern County Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop for comment on the land-lease agreement and the future of the proposed site. He has not responded at this time.
