LODI — PG&E is exploring the potential of blending natural gas with zero-carbon fuel hydrogen as a renewable source of energy.
It will do so by building the nation’s most comprehensive end-to-end hydrogen study and demonstration facility in Lodi.
The 130-acre facility in northern San Joaquin County will serve as a lab to study the blend in terms of production, pipeline transportation, storage, and combustion.
The Northern California Power Agency that supplies electricity to a host of public districts and cities including Roseville and Lodi will use the blend at its Lodi Energy Center power plant that adjoins the future PG&E facility. The blend will power a Siemens Energy 5000F4 Gas Turbine for electric generation.
The arrangement will allow PG&E — along with project partners GHD, City of Lodi, Siemens Energy, the NCPA, Power Agency and the University of California — to study the different hydrogen blends in a multi-feed, multi-directional natural gas pipeline system.
The findings may allow not just PG&E to have the technology needed to convert zero-carbon fuel hydrogen as a renewable energy source for its customers but the entire global natural gas industry.
The centerpiece of the study, known as Hydrogen to Infinity (H2∞), is a large-scale project that will blend hydrogen and natural gas in a stand-alone transmission pipeline system.
The dedicated facility will allow for a controlled and safe study of hydrogen injection, storage, and combustion of different hydrogen blends in a variety of end uses.
“This demonstration facility is truly an exciting advancement of our goal to diversify our natural gas system for our customers and consider hydrogen’s role as part of California’s decarbonized future,” said PG&E Gas Engineering Senior Vice President Janisse Quiñones.
“As we advance PG&E’s climate commitments and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from fossil fuels, our feasibility studies of hydrogen are an essential part of our growth and evolution as a natural gas utility,” he added. “This new facility will provide critical research, close information gaps, and unlock opportunities not only for PG&E, but for the entire global network of natural gas pipeline operators.”
Areas of focus for the polit project includes:
*Technical, operational, and safety needs
*Market development
*Energy resiliency and flexibility
*Commercial and government partnerships
*Unprecedented functional test environment for on-going research
*Training environment for new technology.
PG&E is contemplating the Lodi facility being the centerpiece for a potential Northern California Hydrogen Hub.
PG&E serves more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
