Accelera opens electrolyzer factory in Spain

Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins, celebrated the opening of its new electrolyzer manufacturing plant in Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The sustainably designed facility is expected to create 150 highly skilled jobs in the region, with the potential to reach 200 jobs as production grows, and will help scale the development, manufacturing and adoption of zero-emissions technology in Spain and Europe.

“The opening of our new electrolyzer manufacturing plant in Europe is a significant milestone for Accelera and a crucial step in advancing global decarbonization efforts,” said Amy Davis, President of Accelera. “Together with our community partners, we are boosting the local economy through job creation, enabling large-scale green hydrogen production, and building the necessary infrastructure to make hydrogen a reliable and affordable solution to decarbonize some of the most energy-intensive industries.”

Production began in April 2024, and the plant has the capacity to produce 500 megawatts (MW) of electrolyzers per year, scalable to more than 1 gigawatt (GW) per year in the future. The facility will produce Accelera’s leading proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer systems, which will play a key role in enabling Spain to become a hydrogen hub in Europe.

The facility also represents Accelera’s commitment to sustainable operations and building and maintaining energy efficient facilities. The 260,000-square-foot facility is designed with advanced, energy-efficient features and produces up to 70% of its energy demand on site. It has 3,000 rooftop solar panels that supply zero-emissions energy, 100 geothermal points for renewable heating and cooling, and 300 skylights that provide natural light throughout the plant. Additionally, a rainwater harvesting system collects water for garden irrigation and facility needs. The plant also has enhanced safety measures, pulse assembly, and a state-of-the-art hydrogen detection system.

Electrolyzers use renewable energy sources to produce green hydrogen, which plays a crucial role in accelerating the clean energy transition. Accelera has been innovating in hydrogen technology for over 70 years and has deployed more than 600 electrolyzer units around the world. Accelera technology powers some of the largest PEM electrolyzer systems in operation globally, including a 20 MW system in Quebec, Canada, and a 25 MW system in Florida, U.S.

Read also: Cummins and Accelera at ConExpo: the hydrogen strategy