BayoTech's hydrogen generation pilot plant at its headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP – A “hydrogen hub” could be built in Ypsilanti Township by mid-2023 to help advance hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

It would be one of the first of its kind in Michigan.

BayoTech is collaborating with the American Center for Mobility (ACM) which has a test facility for autonomous vehicles located on over 500 acres of the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti.

BayoTech, a hydrogen production company headquartered in New Mexico, aims to produce these hubs in communities with a growing demand for hydrogen. The hub plans to hire eight to 12 full time employees, and around 20 temporary construction and manufacturing jobs.

Catharine Reid, BayoTech’s chief marketing officer, said the company makes cost-effective, low-carbon hydrogen accessible with its “relatively small hydrogen production units.” These units produce about one ton of hydrogen a day which can typically fill around 200 vehicles.

“It might seem kind of futuristic, but … there’s a lot of hydrogen that’s produced in the United States right now, and … uses of hydrogen are growing, and the demand is growing,” she said.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles create electricity through a chemical reaction between the hydrogen from the car’s fuel tank and oxygen from the air. This mixture generates electricity for the vehicle and doesn’t create any pollution or emissions except pure water.

BayoTech and ACM currently have signed a letter of intent, and BayoTech’s next step is to lease from ACM and complete the necessary permits with the township. Once that is complete, the company will install its own equipment to operate on ACM’s land.

Brenda Stumbo, Ypsilanti Township supervisor, said the site’s next steps with the township involve receiving site plan approval from the city’s planning department and commission.

Reid said ACM decided to look into a hydrogen supply after one of its tenants, Toyota Motor Corporation, brought up testing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at the facility.

“It’s really kind of mutually beneficial … ACM can serve their clients and serve the requests of their partners,” she said. “Then for Bayotech it gives us a great opportunity to have a location where we can install our equipment and produce hydrogen for use at ACM, but also for other customers and clients around the Detroit area.”

Stumbo recently visited ACM and said she can already envision the hub, and the greener fuel it will be able to provide the township.

“You have to be able to move and change and have vision and try stuff. This hydrogen generator technology is something of the future,” Stumbo said.

As the automotive world continues to transform, people are beginning to see hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and electric vehicles as a way to delay the environmental damage of the 1.2 billion vehicles on the planet, according to AP News.

The American Center for Mobility did not immediately respond for comment.

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