H2 Green Mining and Ohmium will collaborate on developing a 20 MW green hydrogen pilot project, with a potential to rapidly scale to 200 MW.
The project is based in Northern Chile, in the town of Calama in the Atacama Desert, a region well suited for renewable energy production from solar and wind power, according to a news release.
Ohmium’s electrolyzers will be used to generate hydrogen for the copper smelting process as well as other thermal processes within the mines. They may also be used to fuel trucks transporting minerals to the nearby port in Mejillones.
“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 CEO. “H2 Green Mining is leading the way in transforming the copper mining sector for a sustainable future, and we are excited to partner with them on this and future decarbonization projects.”
“Ohmium’s PEM electrolyzers are modular for scalability and easily connect with renewable energy – making them an ideal and cost-effective green hydrogen partner,” said Julio Bertrand, founding partner in Star Energy Partners and former CEO of CAP, Gasco, and ENAP. “H2 Green Mining has an exciting roadmap for the future, and we are looking forward to collaborating with Ohmium to leverage the power of fossil free energy and help decarbonize Chile’s copper mining industry.”
H2 Green Mining is a joint venture between Susterra, a subsidiary of the engineering firm Pares&Alvarez, and Star Energy Partners, a service consulting firm specializing in energy and sustainable growth. The company develops green hydrogen projects to advance sustainable mining practices throughout Chile.
California-based Ohmium designs, manufactures and deploys modular, scalable proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers that enable cost-competitive green hydrogen production. In 2023, Ohmium raised $250m in Series C financing, led by TPG Rise Climate.
