Hanwha Solutions Supplies Shell with Hydrogen Tanks

-  Type IV high-pressure Neptune tanks are to be delivered by Hanwha Solution’s hydrogen tank manufacturing subsidiary Hanwha Cimarron.

-  Hanwha Cimarron will work with Shell to build extensive hydrogen refueling infrastructure in California.

-  With its Alabama factory expected to come online late this year, Hanwha Cimarron will churn out 4,000 high-pressure tanks annually

Seoul, South Korea and Hunstville, Alabama, June 21, 2022 -- Hanwha Solutions announced today it joined Shell’s efforts to build extensive hydrogen refueling infrastructure in California. Supplying Shell with high-pressure hydrogen tanks for transport within its network of stations, Hanwha will help accelerate the Golden State’s energy transition and decarbonizing efforts. 

 Hanwha Solutions’ hydrogen tank manufacturing subsidiary, Hanwha Cimarron, said it finalized a Purchase Order with Shell to provide Type IV high-pressure hydrogen tank called Neptune. The carbon fiber-reinforced, 2,000-litre-capacity vessel can store hydrogen at a pressure of 517 bar -- the largest pressure level among Type IV tank.

Another strength of Neptune comes from Anti-buckling technology, which can fully extract hydrogen without causing internal damage. Given that most Type IV high-pressure tanks can shrink easily when emptied fully, they often have one-tenth of storage capacity in reserve. Receiving certificates from the Department of Transportation, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and other state agencies, Neptune has proved its strength for transportation and storage usage. 

Hanwha Cimarron’s supply of hydrogen tanks will support Shell’s efforts to extend its hydrogen refueling network across California. The state is emerging as a key hydrogen hub in the US, with 52 out of 66 refueling stations in the US operating there. According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global hydrogen energy storage market is projected to reach 119.2 billion by 2027 and North America will constitute about 13 percent of the global market volume. 

 “This supply contract is a great foundation for our collaboration with Shell and our efforts to expand our presence in the US hydrogen market,” said Ryoo Du-hyoung, who heads Hanwha Solutions’ Advanced Materials Division. “We are also expanding hydrogen tank business in Europe, including Germany, to attract more clients globally.”

Acquired by Hanwha Solutions in December 2020, Hanwha Cimarron, formerly known as Cimarron Composites, founded by NASA scientist Tom Delay, is seeking to scale up its business. Its $51 million investment plan to build a high-pressure tank manufacturing facility in Opelika, Alabama, is well underway. When the construction is complete later this year, Opelika factory can produce up to 4,000 high-pressure tanks annually.

In 2021, it signed a deal with Texas-based energy company Sunbridge Energy Services to provide storage tanks for compressed natural gas (CNG). The $260-million deal aims to deliver tube trailers containing dozens of vessels that can store CNG and other pressurized gases such as hydrogen.