Hydrogen

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) is advancing its bet on renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen as energy transition tools with new technology that could turn Los Angeles refuse into carbon-negative fuel. The combination utility has partnered with energy startup Kore Infrastructure to create a commercial scale version of Kore’s waste processing technology at a…

Portland, OR-based natural gas utility NW Natural is preparing for carbon neutrality by 2050 with plans to inject hydrogen into its natural gas distribution system.  NW Natural expects to begin a pilot at its Central Portland facility in early 2023 with technology installations from sustainable heat and power technology company Modern Electron. The pilot would…

The European Commission (EC) has approved a huge hydrogen initiative that would be financed by 15 European Union (EU) countries and 35 companies as it continues to diversify its energy supplies.  Under the plan, EU member states would work on 41 “important projects of common interest” (IPCEI) to create a hydrogen hub. The IPCEI Hy2Tech…

Development plans for low-carbon hydrogen have spread to the Atlantic seaboard of Canada, with technology and infrastructure firms from the United States playing key roles. New York-based Plug Power Inc. sold a 5 MW electrolyzer to the top Canadian refinery, Irving Oil in New Brunswick. The 320,000 b/d refinery plans to conduct trials to produce…

Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) are developing technology to keep natural gas turbines at large-scale power plants intact when using hydrogen to generate electricity. “In West Virginia, we have access to natural gas,” said WVU’s Xingbo Liu, mechanical and aerospace engineering professor. “We are sitting in one of three major gas fields, the Marcellus…

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) gave a nod to Consumers Energy Co. last week, approving a 5.8% natural gas rate increase to upgrade and replace a portion of its aging natural gas infrastructure.  The Jackson, MI-based utility is now set to increase its gas rates for the 12-month period beginning in October, 39% lower…

Energy start-up C-Zero Inc.’s promise to commercially scale carbon-free hydrogen production using natural gas has drawn investments from commodity trading giants through a recent financing round. The California-based company’s latest funding round, completed for $34 million, was led by SK Gas Co., a subsidiary of South Korea’s SK Group. Engie New Ventures, the venture capital…

Click here to listen to the latest episode of NGI’s Hub & Flow podcast. In this episode, NGI senior editor Chris Lenton talks to NGI senior analysts Shaylon Stolk and Josten Mavez about the renewable energy landscape and how natural gas fits into the mix. The war in Ukraine has completely upended the global energy…

Georgia Power announced it was able to efficiently generate power using a 20% blend of hydrogen with natural gas in a month-long demonstration at one of its plants, which it said could validate the use of existing natural gas infrastructure to lower emissions. The utility collaborated with Mitsubishi Power Americas Inc. and the Electric Power…