Paul Rodden • Season: 2025 • Episode: 399
Listen Now:
>Direct Link To The Hydrogen Podcast MP3<
Listen On Your Favorite App:
Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!
The hydrogen revolution is advancing fast! In today’s episode of The Hydrogen Podcast, I break down three MAJOR developments shaping the industry’s future:
✅ Electric Hydrogen & Titan Metal Fabricators Partnership ⚡ – Scaling PEM electrolyzer production in the U.S., cutting costs & boosting domestic hydrogen supply.
✅ Texas’ Hydrogen Water Study 💧 – Examining hydrogen’s water impact & proving Texas can triple production without stressing resources.
✅ Mongolia’s Hydrogen Megaprojects 🌍 – Tapping into 2.6 terawatts of renewable energy to become a global green hydrogen leader exporting to China & beyond.
🌎 With electrolyzer costs dropping, hydrogen infrastructure expanding, and global investments surging, the industry is on track for massive growth.
🔔 Subscribe for the latest hydrogen industry insights!
📩 Email me your thoughts: info@thehydrogenpodcast.com
#Hydrogen #GreenHydrogen #HydrogenEconomy #Electrolyzers #TexasHydrogen #MongoliaHydrogen #CleanEnergy #FutureOfHydrogen #RenewableHydrogen #H2Production #HydrogenPodcast #EnergyTransition #HydrogenTechnology
Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the podcast. Please feel free to email me at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com with any questions. Also, if you wouldn’t mind subscribing to my podcast using your preferred platform… I would greatly appreciate it.
Respectfully,
Paul Rodden
VISIT THE HYDROGEN PODCAST WEBSITE
https://thehydrogenpodcast.com
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG
https://thehydrogenpodcast.com/blog/
WANT TO SPONSOR THE PODCAST?
Send us an email to: info@thehydrogenpodcast.com
NEW TO HYDROGEN AND NEED A QUICK INTRODUCTION?
Start Here: The 6 Main Colors of Hydrogen
Transcript:
Today I’m going to delve into three pivotal developments that underscore hydrogen’s growing role in decarbonizing industry and transport. First, I’ll examine a strategic partnership between Electric Hydrogen and Titan Metal Fabricators to scale electrolyzer manufacturing in the United States. Next, I’ll analyze a comprehensive study on water requirements for Texas’ burgeoning hydrogen sector. Finally, I’ll explore Mongolia’s ambitious plans to leverage renewable resources for hydrogen production. All of this on todays Hydrogen Podcast
“Our first topic centers on a significant advancement in hydrogen production technology, reported by POWER Magazine on February 15, 2025. Electric Hydrogen, a leader in green hydrogen solutions, has partnered with Titan Metal Fabricators to enhance the manufacturing of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. This collaboration, based out of Electric Hydrogen’s 1-gigawatt facility in Devens, Massachusetts, aims to meet escalating demand for clean hydrogen, particularly for industrial and heavy transport applications.
Let’s start with the technical details. PEM electrolyzers use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, relying on a solid polymer membrane and high-purity water. Electric Hydrogen’s systems operate at efficiencies of 80-85%, consuming approximately 50-55 kWh per kilogram of hydrogen produced—among the best in the industry. Their Devens plant, operational since late 2024, has a capacity of 1 gigawatt, translating to 50 tons of hydrogen daily or 18,250 tons annually, assuming continuous operation. That’s sufficient to power roughly 1,200 Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks per year, each requiring 15 tons annually for a 500-mile range, per the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Titan Metal Fabricators brings critical expertise in corrosion-resistant materials, specifically titanium, which is ideal for electrolyzer stacks due to its durability in acidic environments. A single PEM stack might contain 50-100 cells, each with titanium bipolar plates costing $200-$300 per unit. For a 1-megawatt system (producing 0.5 tons daily), that’s $50,000-$75,000 in materials alone. Titan’s role is to optimize fabrication, reducing costs by 10-15% through precision engineering and economies of scale, while ensuring a lifespan exceeding 80,000 hours—over 9 years of continuous use.
Economically, this partnership is poised to transform the hydrogen supply chain. Building a 1-gigawatt electrolyzer factory costs between $500 million and $1 billion, factoring in equipment ($300-$600 million), land, and labor, per industry benchmarks from BloombergNEF. Electric Hydrogen’s investment, partially offset by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act’s 45V tax credit—offering up to $3 per kilogram for hydrogen with a carbon intensity below 0.45 kg CO2e/kg H2—could yield $54 million annually in credits at full capacity. With green hydrogen production costs currently at $3-$5 per kilogram, this drops the effective cost to $1-$2 per kilogram, aligning with the DOE’s Hydrogen Shot target by 2030.
The market implications are substantial. The global electrolyzer market, valued at $3.5 billion in 2023 by MarketsandMarkets, is projected to reach $23 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%. North America’s share could hit $5 billion, driven by demand from decarbonizing sectors like ammonia production (60% of U.S. hydrogen use) and heavy transport (growing at 25% annually). Electric Hydrogen’s output could capture 5-10% of this, generating $250-$500 million in yearly revenue at $3 per kilogram, with Titan’s manufacturing efficiency boosting margins by 8-12%.
This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about strategic positioning. The U.S. imported 70% of its electrolyzer components in 2022; this partnership cuts reliance on foreign supply chains, creating 200-300 direct jobs in Massachusetts and thousands more indirectly. For heavy transport, it means reliable, domestic hydrogen supply—think fleets of trucks refueling at $50 per fill-up versus $80 for diesel equivalents. Electric Hydrogen’s CEO notes, ‘This is the foundation of a scalable, decarbonized future.’ With Titan’s titanium prowess, they’re building systems that last, perform, and pay off—a triple win for the hydrogen economy.”
“Next, we turn to Texas, where a March 1, 2025, MSN article highlights a University of Texas at Austin study on water demands for the state’s hydrogen industry. Texas is a hydrogen powerhouse—home to 50% of U.S. hydrogen production, largely blue hydrogen from natural gas with carbon capture. But as green hydrogen scales, water becomes a critical input, and this study provides a roadmap for sustainable growth.
The technical breakdown is illuminating. Green hydrogen via electrolysis requires 9 liters of high-purity water per kilogram of hydrogen, plus 20-30 liters for cooling and processing, totaling 30-40 liters per kilogram in practice. For blue hydrogen—steam methane reforming (SMR) with carbon capture—water use ranges from 10-20 liters per kilogram, but cooling towers push it to 50-60 liters with carbon capture units. The study models a 2050 scenario where Texas produces 1 million metric tons of hydrogen annually: 500,000 tons green, 500,000 tons blue. That’s 15-20 billion liters (4-5.3 billion gallons) for green and 25-30 billion liters (6.6-7.9 billion gallons) for blue, totaling 2.5 billion gallons on average—or 7,600 acre-feet—assuming a 50/50 split.
Context matters here. Texas’ total water use is 17 million acre-feet annually, with agriculture claiming 60% (10.2 million acre-feet). Hydrogen’s 7,600 acre-feet is just 0.07% of that—a manageable footprint. The study identifies resources: 3 trillion gallons of brackish groundwater in West Texas, requiring desalination at $0.50-$1 per 1,000 gallons, and the Gulf Coast’s limitless seawater, desalinated at $1-$2 per 1,000 gallons with reverse osmosis. A 10-megawatt green hydrogen plant producing 500 tons annually (1.5 million gallons of water) incurs $1,500-$3,000 in water costs—negligible against $1.5 million in hydrogen revenue at $3 per kilogram.
Economically, Texas is primed to capitalize. The state’s hydrogen market could reach $100 billion by 2050, per Deloitte estimates, with 1 million tons generating $3 billion annually at current prices. Green hydrogen plants, powered by Texas’ 40 gigawatts of wind and solar, cost $20-$30 million each for 10 megawatts, producing 500 tons yearly—$50 million in revenue over a 20-year lifespan, with a 15% internal rate of return (IRR). Blue hydrogen, leveraging $2 billion in existing SMR infrastructure, adds $1.5 billion yearly at $1.50 per kilogram post-carbon capture. Water treatment adds $5-$10 million annually statewide—less than 0.5% of revenue—while creating 500-1,000 jobs in desalination and logistics.
This study isn’t a warning—it’s a green light. Texas can triple hydrogen output without straining water resources, supporting 50,000 jobs and cutting CO2 by 10 million tons annually. For heavy transport, it means 50,000 hydrogen trucks on Texas highways by 2050, each saving $20,000 yearly over diesel. The lead researcher puts it succinctly: ‘Water is a challenge we can solve.’ Texas is proving hydrogen’s scalability, one gallon at a time.”
“Our final segment takes us to Mongolia, where a March 3, 2025, Devdiscourse article outlines an ambitious vision for renewable hydrogen leadership. Known for coal and vast steppes, Mongolia boasts 2.6 terawatts of renewable potential—1.1 terawatts solar, 1.5 terawatts wind—capable of generating 200 million tons of green hydrogen annually if fully harnessed. That’s a theoretical $600 billion market at $3 per kilogram, dwarfing today’s 10-million-ton global output.
Technically, Mongolia’s resources are unmatched. Solar yields 1,500-1,800 kWh per square meter yearly—30% above the global average—while wind speeds hit 8-10 meters per second in the Gobi Desert, driving turbine capacity factors to 40-45%. A 10-megawatt electrolyzer, powered by a $15 million wind-solar hybrid, produces 500 tons of hydrogen yearly, using 50 kWh per kilogram at 85% efficiency—25 MWh daily. Pilot projects like Sainshand Hydrogen Hub (5 MW) and Gobi H2 (10 MW) target 1,000-2,000 tons annually by 2027, with water from saline aquifers desalinated at $1 per 1,000 gallons—$5,000-$10,000 yearly per plant.
The economic case is compelling. Renewable electricity costs are 3-4 cents per kWh—$1.50-$2 per kilogram of hydrogen for power, plus $1 for capital and operations, totaling $2.50-$3 per kilogram. Exporting 50,000 tons annually to China, 500 miles away via pipeline ($50 million to build), yields $125-$150 million at $2.50-$3 per kilogram. Scaling to 1 million tons by 2040—a $10 million investment in 20 plants—could generate $3 billion yearly, boosting Mongolia’s $15 billion GDP by 20%. Steel and power sectors in China, needing 5 million tons of hydrogen by 2030, offer a ready market, with transport costs at $0.20-$0.30 per kilogram.
Policy support is robust: tax incentives cut electrolyzer costs by 10%, and a National Hydrogen Council targets 10% renewable H2 in energy by 2035. Water scarcity—1,500 cubic kilometers total, mostly saline—requires $20-$30 million in desalination infrastructure by 2040, a fraction of revenue. For heavy transport, Mongolia could fuel 3,000 trucks domestically while exporting to Asia’s 50,000-truck market. This is Mongolia seizing a $10 billion opportunity—proof that hydrogen thrives where renewables shine.”
Alright, that’s it for me, everyone. If you have a second, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a good review on whatever platform you listen to. Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, YouTube, etc. That would be a tremendous help to the show. And as always if you ever have any feedback, you are welcome to email me directly at info@thehydrogepodcast.com. So until next time, keep your eyes up and honor one another.
