Air Liquide’s U.S. plant now its largest global liquid hydrogen facility

Air Liquide, a leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and health, has officially opened its liquid hydrogen production and logistics infrastructure facility in North Las Vegas, Nev., it’s largest such facility globally. The site will be capable of producing 30 tonnes of liquid hydrogen per day for various customers, most notably the growing clean mobility market.

While Air Liquide employs more than 20,000 people in the U.S. in more than 1,300 locations and plant facilities, the $250 million investment in the Las Vegas plant solidly positions Nevada as a U.S. leader in hydrogen energy production. The facility created jobs for 700 contractors during construction and 25 full-time employees at full capacity. It is powered by fully renewable electricity but can also use renewable natural gas to meet the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) when supplying California’s burgeoning mobility market.

“Air Liquide has supported the clean mobility market on the West Coast since its infancy and the North Las Vegas facility is a milestone in our decades-long leadership of the U.S. hydrogen market. This facility is an illustration of our commitment, and ability, to usher sustainable markets into the future, while creating jobs and fostering economic growth in the present,” said Michael Graff, chairman and CEO of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. and executive vice president, Air Liquide Group. “By providing a reliable supply of hydrogen to California’s mobility market and the region’s industrial customers, we are making a significant investment in the transition towards a more sustainable future, one with hydrogen at its core.”

According to the company, the facility can produce enough renewable hydrogen for over 40,000 fuel cell vehicles in California, significantly improving the hydrogen supply for mobility and helping to facilitate its growth. While the mobility market continues to mature, however, the plant configuration will allow for the sale of hydrogen to an array of sectors with a range of renewable and low-carbon options for customers.

The North Las Vegas facility will enable Air Liquide to accelerate hydrogen development and contribute to the company’s goal of at least tripling hydrogen sales to reach 6 billion euros, or nearly $6.5 billion USD, by 2035.