Port of Corpus Christi to become green hydrogen hub

Apex Clean Energy, Ares, EPIC Midstream, and PCCA will explore the development of green hydrogen production, including a new pipeline and a green fuels hub at the Port of Corpus Christi.

The parties have entered into a nonbinding memorandum of understanding (MoU). Under the MoU, they will explore the development of leading green hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and export operation. This also includes a newly constructed dedicated pipeline and a green fuels hub on the Texas Gulf Coast.

The project would produce green hydrogen and other green fuels in volumes not yet seen in the U.S. In addition, it would be possible to scale up by the decade’s end.

Clear energy firm Apex expects to use its wind and solar projects in Texas to power facilities producing green hydrogen. In addition, EPIC will consider leveraging its pipeline construction expertise to accelerate the development of a new green fuels pipeline. The project would also leverage and develop existing and new storage, processing, and export infrastructure sited on real estate owned by the Ports’ Authority (PCCA).

Ares and PCCA previously inked a separate nonbinding MoU for developing infrastructure to support the production of green hydrogen. This MoU builds on that effort, specifically with respect to the development of green fuels projects.

Keith Derman from Ares said the project shows the type of collaborative approach that can deliver novel energy solutions. Therefore, this would help accelerate the energy transition. “Further, this underscores Ares’ leading capabilities in providing differentiated solutions to a growing asset class.”

“This project seeks to generate and deliver green hydrogen and other clean fuels precisely where they are needed most—at the industrial backbone of our nation,” said Mark Goodwin, Apex CEO. “Together with Ares, EPIC, and the Port of Corpus Christi, Apex would leverage the highest-quality wind and solar resources in Texas to help decarbonize difficult-to-abate industries—including the transportation, shipping, fertilizer, chemical, and refining sectors—and include optionality for global export. This would be green fuel production at gigawatt scale.”

“This initiative is exactly the type of interdisciplinary collaboration that would enable scalable projects that move the needle on diversification of the energy marketplace,” said Jeff Pollack from the Port of Corpus Christi. “This monumental potential project would directly contribute to the burgeoning clean hydrogen hub at the Port of Corpus Christi.”

The nonbinding MOU marks the second significant milestone for Apex in the green hydrogen sector, following the 2021 announcement.