LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As hydrogen gains
momentum as an important tool to address climate change, Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced today it will partner with
H2U Technologies, Inc. to conduct demonstration testing of a new,
less expensive type of PEM electrolyzer, a device that produces
green hydrogen from water and renewable electricity. According to
early analysis by H2U Technologies, the cost target of the new
technology is half that of current PEM electrolyzers and total cost
of ownership over its life is expected to be 75% less. The
announcement follows SoCalGas' recent commitment to achieve net
zero carbon emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by
2045 and to invest in initiatives to decarbonize, diversify, and
digitalize its business.
Electrolyzers use electricity to split water into its
components—oxygen and hydrogen. When renewable electricity is used
in this process no carbon dioxide emissions are created. This green
hydrogen can then be used for clean transportation or industrial
applications or blended with natural gas to lower the carbon
content of the fuel. Green hydrogen offers the ability to store
renewable electricity across months and seasons, an advantage over
battery storage.
H2U Technology's new electrolyzer, called the Gramme 50, is
designed to be built in 200 kilowatt blocks that can be stacked to
produce as much as 80 kilograms of green hydrogen a day, which
could power up to 80 homes per day in a microgrid. The blocks can
be manufactured in large numbers and added at any time to match
hydrogen demand. SoCalGas' research with H2U Technologies will also
include validation studies on the performance of new non-precious
metal catalysts, materials used in very small quantities to
initiate and accelerate the chemical process of splitting water
into hydrogen and oxygen. In addition, the proposed research will
include testing methods and materials that could reduce production
costs and rapidly advance scale-up of manufacturing.
"Innovations that make green hydrogen production more
cost-effective and scalable are critical to providing clean, safe
and reliable energy for the nearly 22 million Californians we serve
while reaching our net-zero emissions goal," said Neil Navin, SoCalGas vice president of clean
energy innovations. "Partnering with H2U Technologies will provide
meaningful advancements that aim to move this important technology
forward."
"Renewable electricity production is expected to grow
exponentially in California in the
next two decades, so the ability to store it by producing green
hydrogen will be crucial," said Jim
Disanto, H2U Technologies board chairman. "We're excited to
advance our electrolyzer technologies and new catalysts with the
help of SoCalGas. It will be of great benefit to Californians and
all of society."
"The massive cost reduction potential H2U's technology offers
will further accelerate the scaled production and use of green
hydrogen that's already underway" said Janice Lin, founder and president of the Green
Hydrogen Coalition. "This is good news for our planet and for our
economy—as we will be able to more quickly achieve multi-sectoral
deep decarbonization and new investment and job creation
opportunities concurrently."
SoCalGas' work with H2U Technologies is part of the utility's
Research, Development and Demonstration program, which collaborates
with industry experts to identify, develop, test, and commercialize
transformational new energy technologies designed to save energy,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, maintain energy
affordability, and advance the safety and reliability of
California's energy delivery
systems.
SoCalGas recently announced its commitment to achieve net zero
greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy
by 2045. In doing so, SoCalGas became the largest gas distribution
utility in the nation to include scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions in
its target, aligning with the Paris Climate Agreement's
recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C by achieving net
zero by mid-century. For more information on SoCalGas' mission and
climate commitment to net zero by 2045, visit
www.socalgas.com/mission.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los
Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution
utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers
affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service
to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of
Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the
company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in
California's clean energy
transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind
and solar energy deployment.
SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most
innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission,
SoCalGas is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas
emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and
to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to
core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable
natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills
and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to
investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills
affordable for customers. Over the past five years, the company
invested nearly $7.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its
pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a
subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy
services holding company based in San Diego. For more
information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with
SoCalGas
on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas)
and Facebook.
About H2U Technologies, Inc.
H2U Technologies is a
developer of new catalysts used to start or speed up the
electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen. The company also
produces a grid-scale PEM electrolyzer, Gramme 50. The technology
underpinning H2U Technologies' products is based on 10 years of
research and development funded by the U.S. Department of Energy
through Caltech's Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis
(JCAP). For more information, visit h2utechnologies.com.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/socalgas-and-h2u-technologies-partner-to-test-new-technology-that-may-make-green-hydrogen-at-dramatically-lower-cost-301272971.html
SOURCE Southern California Gas Company