
Photo courtesy Chesterfield County Economic Development
Chesterfield County’s booming industrial park is growing even larger, this time thanks to a Danish manufacturer’s plans to spend over $400 million to build a clean-energy factory there.
Topsoe, which specializes in carbon emissions reduction technology, announced plans in May to build an electrolyzer factory at Meadowville Technology Park. The over-280,000-square-foot structure will create solid oxide electrolyzer cells, or SOEC, which produce clean hydrogen from water or carbon dioxide. The company claims their SOECs increase electrolyzer efficacy by about 30% over similar technology.
The venture is expected to bring 150 jobs. Topsoe also says it will offer five college STEM scholarships to Chesterfield County high school seniors starting in 2025. Those chosen will receive up to $10,000 to continue studying science, technology, engineering and math.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Chesterfield County and the Greater Richmond Partnership worked together to bring the project to the county with assistance from a $6 million grant previously approved by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. In return for choosing Virginia, Topsoe could receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program.
Officials in May touted the development as a way to create jobs and help make Virginia a top destination in the energy field. “Global manufacturers like Topsoe are recognizing the Virginia advantage that will enable Topsoe to continue to play a leading role in clean-energy innovation,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick said in a statement.
Pending a final investment decision, this will be Topsoe’s third U.S. facility, with others in California and Texas. The factory would join other projects at Meadowville such as a LEGO Group factory, an indoor vertical farm campus for California-based Plenty Unlimited and a laboratory testing facility for the nonprofit Civica Rx.