The Quebec-based firm said it marked a milestone in the cross-border commercialisation of its production and confirms the US market’s interest in a reliable supply of UHP hydrogen.
The order will be fulfilled using the company’s existing production capacity and is part of a broader strategy to establish long-term business relationships with industrial and technology firms.
Charbone said it will not disclose volume, duration or financial terms of the deal given the limited supply of UHP hydrogen in the North America market.
Through a modular approach, Charbone is focused on developing a network of clean hydrogen production facilities throughout North America and select markets abroad, starting with its flagship Sorel-Tracy project in Quebec, where work started in October.
Hydrogen will be produced via electrolysis and use clean energy from the Hydro-Quebec grid, with initial capacity targets of around 400kg of green hydrogen per day.
Its integrated model is designed to reduce risk, enhance scale and create diversified revenue streams through partnerships in helium and other specialty gases.
Delegates attending the Helium Super Summit in Austin heard that independent gas distributors now move nearly a quarter of US helium supply, with 65% of that volume sold in the south and west of the country.
The global helium market is expected to grow by $2bn between 2024 and 2030, representing an average annual growth rate of 6.7%.