Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) recently revealed separate field test and demonstration programs to clear the way for commercial-scale blending of hydrogen into its gas distribution system.

The Sempra Energy subsidiary plans to begin a two-year field test in March at its engineering facility east of downtown Los Angeles, examining a new technology that can simultaneously separate and compress hydrogen from a natural gas-hydrogen blend.

Developed by Netherlands-based HyET Hydrogen, the technology to be tested is designed to provide pure highly compressed hydrogen wherever a natural gas distribution system exists.

“At scale, it would allow hydrogen to be easily and affordably transported via the existing pipeline system, and then extracted and compressed at fueling...