The central state of Querétaro in Mexico, which is known for its emphasis when it comes to sustainable industry, has gone on to inaugurate first green hydrogen plant of Mexico, which happens to be a result of a partnership between a German and a Mexican company.
The project, teaming Gerresheimer, which is a German company that is already manufacturing in Mexico the pharmaceutical glass that is used in packaging medications, and Cryoinfra, the Mexican company, which is the processor of cryogenic gases, required an investment of 100 million pesos, which is equivalent to US $5.3 million. It looks to reduce carbon emissions, make the circular economy stronger, and pave the way when it comes to new energy technologies.
Hydrogen happens to be primarily produced by way of water electrolysis, wherein hydrogen and oxygen molecules get separated. Unlike the gray hydrogen, which gets produced through traditional energy sources, green hydrogen makes use of electricity coming from clean sources like solar or wind power and is a clean energy source itself.
The new facility is located at the Gerresheimer complex, where the German company happens to produce 2.6 billion units of pharmaceutical glass per year. As per the general manager of the company, José Antonio Vega López, this plant happens to be the largest manufacturing plant of such kind in the Americas.
It is well to be noted that the first green hydrogen plant of Mexico is anticipated to support the production of Gerresheimer by producing 500 cubic meters of green hydrogen every day for the pharmaceutical glass-forming process, thereby replacing fossil fuels and decreasing the CO₂ emissions by 100 tons every year.
Not only are operational emissions going to be reduced to zero, but the new dual-function plant makes sure of a smaller logistical carbon footprint since hydrogen for the pharmaceutical glass manufacturing is already going to be at its destination.
The regional subdirector of Cryoinfra, which developed and installed the electrolysis plant, Fernando Trejo Álvarez, said that this project enables reducing the emissions, diversifies the usage of clean energy, and also sets a precedent for more companies within Querétaro and all across Mexico to invest in green hydrogen.
They are pushing for more jobs as well as more investment; however, in line with the protection of natural resources, which are becoming increasingly scarce, Trejo added, as he noted that green hydrogen happens to be one of the energies of the future.
As per Querétaro authorities, this philosophy applies to the state as a whole. According to Marco Antonio del Prete Tercero, state Sustainable Development Minister at the inaugural event, led by Querétaro Governor Mauricio Kuri, the energy that is used comes from green sources like solar and wind, which sets them apart as compared to other economies in the country. According to the Mexican Association of Hydrogen, Storage, and Sustainable Mobility (AMH2), Mexico happens to be an optimal region when it comes to renewable energy production.
This is because of its hydrogen production costs, which happen to be 64% lower as compared to other countries. This sort of favorable scenario has led AMH2, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy (Sener) of Mexico, to fund 18 clean hydrogen projects in an endeavor to decrease the greenhouse gases and, at the same time, nurture the very raw green hydrogen industrial sector of the country.
