Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford today joined officials from Bakken Energy LLC and Mitsubishi Power Americas Inc. as they announced a strategic partnership agreement to establish a world-class clean hydrogen hub in North Dakota.
Company officials said the hub will consist of facilities that produce, store, transport and consume clean hydrogen, a carbon-free fuel and energy carrier. The hub will focus on the production of blue hydrogen, which is derived from natural gas with the carbon dioxide emissions captured and sequestered, and will be connected by pipeline to other clean hydrogen hubs being developed throughout North America.
Bakken Energy, supported by Mitsubishi Power, also announced it is working with Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its subsidiary Dakota Gasification Co. on the potential acquisition and redevelopment of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant located near Beulah, N.D. The redevelopment would make the facility the largest producer of clean hydrogen in North America. The project is in due diligence, and specific details are confidential until that phase is complete.
“Blue hydrogen represents a huge opportunity for synergies with our existing energy development, and these are exactly the innovative strategies that will bring North Dakota one step closer to being carbon neutral by 2030 with an all-of-the-above energy approach,” Burgum said. “We’re grateful that these companies are leading the way to making this the next big industry in North Dakota. The state is committed to supporting the development of exciting value-added projects like this to create jobs, diversify our economy and strengthen U.S. energy security.”
“We are grateful for Bakken Energy’s commitment to further developing North Dakota’s abundant energy resources,” Sanford said. “From exploring salt cavern storage for natural gas liquids and hydrogen to next generation power projects, Steve Lebow and the Bakken Energy team are truly on the cutting edge of innovative energy solutions, helping us find new niches for North Dakota’s all-of-the-above energy offering and our unique geological footprint. We thank Bakken Energy and Basin Electric for collaborating to build upon our long story of energy innovation at Dakota Gasification, and we congratulate and welcome the Mitsubishi Power team to North Dakota and look forward to an exciting future of energy innovation together.”
For more information, see the companies’ full announcement.