Global industrial software and technology leader Emerson announced a multi-year strategic framework agreement with BayoTech, a developer of modular steam methane reformers (SMRs) and other hydrogen solutions, to accelerate the delivery of hydrogen around the world. Emerson will deliver advanced automation technologies, software and products to enable BayoTech to build hundreds of hydrogen units.

BayoTech’s modular SMRs produce up to 1,000 kilograms per day, enough to fill as many as 200 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. BayoTech’s patented technology requires less feedstock, which means fewer carbon emissions and less cost to produce hydrogen than traditional reformers, the company says. To meet growing hydrogen demand, BayoTech is leveraging its core technology to develop 5-, 10- and 20-tonne units, which will drive further efficiencies.

Bayotech argues that the current gray-blue-green color scheme used to classify types of hydrogen production by their carbon footprints is misleading in that using an emissions profile solely at generation excludes all the steps associated in the entire transportation to the use point of the hydrogen. Accounting for the carbon intensity for the entire value chain delivers a very different picture, according to Bayotech. Bayotech said it created the above chart based on California Air Resources Board (ARB) methodology.

Using Emerson’s programmable logic controller and edge control technologies, remote monitoring and Microsoft Azure IoT Suite, the unmanned, fully autonomous skids will operate and be monitored remotely from BayoTech’s Albuquerque, New Mexico headquarters.

These hydrogen generation units are already being built and will be placed in BayoGaaS hydrogen hubs and at customer sites throughout the United States and other global locations. BayoGaaS, BayoTech’s gas-as-a-service option, provides customers with low-cost hydrogen on demand.

From the hubs, locally produced hydrogen will be distributed to nearby consumers via BayoTech high-pressure gas transport and storage equipment, which can transport three times more hydrogen per trip than traditional steel tube trailers. The higher payloads translate into lower transportation costs, higher driver productivity and less carbon emissions.