An Albuquerque, New Mexico-based clean energy startup that has ties to the St. Louis region is expanding its presence locally, with plans to establish a hydrogen production facility in St. Charles County.
The startup, BayoTech Inc., has broken ground on a new hydrogen production facility in Wentzville through a partnership with Ranken Technical College. BayoTech said the new facility will be located on Ranken’s Wentzville campus, at 755 Parr Road, and is slated to annually produce 350 tons of “low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen for local users.”
BayoTech, founded in 2016, is focused on creating small, localized hydrogen production plants designed to more quickly and cheaply provide hydrogen compared with larger-scale production facilities. New Mexico Inno, a sister publication of St. Louis Inno, has reported that BayoTech’s hydrogen hubs are designed for "localized" production, meaning lower transportation costs and easier on-site access for hydrogen-using companies and vehicles.
In a Thursday news release, BayoTech said it will own the Wentzville production plant and expects it to create 10 full-time jobs. The startup did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the size and cost of the facility.
"BayoTech is proud to partner with an institution as forward-thinking as Ranken Technical College. Our investment will produce the low-carbon fuel needed to reduce local emissions while developing the next generation of energy workers," BayoTech CEO Mo Vargas said in a statement.
BayoTech’s new Wentzville facility and partnership with Ranken build on its existing ties in the St. Louis region. It is a portfolio company of St. Louis venture capital firm Cultivation Capital and in 2021 forged a partnership with Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) that involves using the Ferguson-based industrial giant’s automation technology to produce its hydrogen.
As part of the startup's St. Louis-area expansion, BayoTech and Ranken plan to work together to create new education programs focused on hydrogen production, officials said.
"Ranken Technical College is excited to partner with BayoTech to bring hydrogen technology to the Midwest region. This partnership is a great example of Ranken's continued efforts to bring education, community, and business partners together to meet the growing demand for skilled workers. Our planned hydrogen technician training program will equip students with the essential skills needed to contribute to the clean energy transition.”
New Mexico Inno Reporter Jacob Maranda contributed to this report
