Element Resources has secured a long-term site lease agreement in the City of Lancaster, California, to build, own, and operate a 100% zero-carbon, renewable clean energy center.

Element will build a large PV solar array to feed renewable electricity to electrolyzers for splitting water into pure hydrogen and oxygen. This non-combustion process does not rely on electricity from the power grid and will produce only renewable, zero-carbon hydrogen. The project will enable the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars and the conversion of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and other heavy equipment currently burning diesel fuels in Los Angeles County and regionally.

The Lancaster Clean Energy Center will install the latest generation solar photovoltaic panels and alkaline electrolyzer technology in phases. The resulting renewable electricity, estimated at 1,000 GWh, will be designed to produce about 20,000 tons of clean hydrogen annually, with significant expansion capabilities. In addition to distributing 100% clean hydrogen to existing and future regional refueling locations, Element anticipates the construction of its own hydrogen refueling station in the City to provide renewable hydrogen to public and private customers.

In December 2023, the company said it’s aiming for a FID in 1Q24. It was originally planning to reach FID by the end of 2023.