Mesa Solutions, Modern Hydrogen sign H2 MoU

MESA Solutions CEO Scott Gromer (left) and Modern Hydrogen CEO Tony Pan sign a partnership agreement at POWERGEN International Conference, Dallas TX, 2/11/25. (Photo: Modern Hydrogen)

UPDATED 2/14/2025

Mesa Solutions, which specializes in natural gas or liquid propane-powered mobile generators and engines, and Modern Hydrogen, a provider of distributed hydrogen production and carbon management, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at PowerGen International, Feb. 11-13, in Dallas, Texas, for development of a clean power solution for data centers.

Mesa is developing a hydrogen-fueled generator that will be “notionally similar” to its generators that run on natural gas, like the model shown. (Photo: Mesa Solutions)

The strategic agreement, signed by Mesa Solutions CEO Scott Gromer and Modern Hydrogen CEO Tony Pan, formally establishes a partnership to develop a new power generation offering for data centers and solid carbon for road construction and repair. The partnership will combine Mesa’s expertise in multi-megawatt gen-sets with Modern Hydrogen’s distributed technology for converting natural gas into hydrogen.

“Dispatchable, reliable power is the backbone of data center operations, and our partnership with Mesa Solutions ensures that data centers can generate clean energy on site without waiting for the electricity grid,” said Pan. “This partnership represents the next step in adopting hydrogen for on-site energy by leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure already in the ground.”

Mesa Solutions is developing a new generator set that incorporates a 100% hydrogen internal combustion engine produced in partnership with Hyundai Doosan Infracore (HDI).

“What we plan to do over the next couple of years is take that engine and figure out how to turn that into a generator notionally similar to the other generators that we make that run on natural gas only,” said Tom Poteet, vice president, Corporate Development, Mesa Industrial.

Modern Hydrogen is developing an on-site solution for conversion of natural gas to pure hydrogen and commercially useful carbon solids. (Photo: Modern Hydrogen)

For its part, Modern Hydrogen is developing its on-site solution that uses pyrolysis technologies (high heat) for conversion of natural gas to pure hydrogen and commercially useful carbon solids, which it said can be used as raw material in asphalt production, composite materials, concrete and more.

“They’re still in development of this device,” said Poteet. “They have a couple of prototypes out, but the commercial device is probably two years away.”

As such, over the next two years, the partners will individually develop their solutions while jointly exploring how Mesa Solution’s hydrogen-powered gen-set and Modern Hydrogen’s on-site hydrogen production system can be paired to meet the needs of data center applications.

“Mesa has spent years optimizing on-site power generation solutions for high-demand applications,” said Gromer. “By integrating Modern Hydrogen’s innovative hydrogen production, we’re creating a new model for data centers that doesn’t compromise on reliability or cost.”

The target, said Poteet, will be smaller data centers in the 5- to 10-MW range seeking cost-effective, carbon-free, on-site power generation solutions.

Gen-set maker partners to add engines Partnership with HDI is enabling Mesa Solutions to expand its portfolio beyond gaseous-fueled generators.