Costa Rica eyes MW electrolyser for green hydrogen by 2022

Costa Rica aims to build its first MW electrolyser plant by late 2022. The project is supported by four members of Alianza por el Hidrogeno. The electrolyser plant project is estimated to require around US$ 12 million in investment.

Once in operation, the plant will produce 350 kg H2 per day. The plan is to supply green hydrogen for industrial applications and the transport sector. The project is expected to be completed by the second half of 2022.

Edgar Rivera, Fundacion CRUSA’s Sustainable Mobility Consultant and Coordinator of the Alliance for Hydrogen, told H2 Bulletin that the exact location for the plant has yet to be finalised, though it certainly has to be built on the route between San Jose and Liberia (Guanacaste).

He stressed that Costa Rica has excellent potential for green hydrogen generations owing to its abundant renewable resources. Costa Rica produces 99% of its electricity through sustainable sources (hydro, solar, wind).

The Alliance for Hydrogen was formed under the project Fundación CRUSA-IDB Lab in May 2019. Currently, the alliance comprises around 20 companies, including two state-owned energy-related enterprises, aiming to develop hydrogen as an energy vector across key industries in Costa Rica.

He highlighted the critical role which IDB is playing in promoting the Costa Rican hydrogen industry.  IDB Lab, founded an US$ 850k to set the basis of the hydrogen industry. The focus of this project is transportation.

As a part of the IDB Lab project, Fundación CRUSA has hired a European consulting company to work for two consultancies. The first was related to hydrogen application in vehicles which has already been completed. The other has recently started scoping the potential role Costa Rica can play in the global hydrogen market.

Mr Rivera confirmed that there is one hydrogen refuelling station in Costa Rica which is located in Liberia, Guanacaste. The station has two dispensers 350bar and 700bar.