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In order to serve you better, please select your Dominion Energy location services.
In order to serve you better, please select your Dominion Energy location services.
Blending clean hydrogen to reduce emissions
Delta, Utah, has been selected as the preferred potential site for the next step in our hydrogen blending project! Customers in Delta will continue to receive safe, reliable, and affordable service and bills will not increase as a result of the proposed project. In addition, no appliance or equipment changes will be required and appliance performance won’t be impacted. Finally, the hydrogen blended gas will result in lower carbon emissions which benefits the environment.
Our pilot project—ThermH2™—took place at our Training Academy in Utah in 2021. We blended 5% hydrogen in a test gas distribution system to confirm industry research on the efficacy and safety of blending hydrogen with natural gas.
Delta was selected for several reasons:
Delta is uniquely positioned to be a leader in this emerging area of energy innovation.
Customers will continue to receive safe, reliable, and affordable service that will include the environmental benefits of hydrogen blending with traditional natural gas.
Bills will not increase as a result of hydrogen blending. No appliance or equipment changes will be required and appliance performance won’t be impacted.
The demand for clean, renewable energy is growing. Hydrogen is an emerging clean energy source that could reduce the environmental impact of nearly every part of our daily lives. Just like blending ethanol with gasoline in your car, blending hydrogen with natural gas lowers emissions.
Dominion Energy is exploring how hydrogen can help us achieve our goal of net zero emissions and also help decarbonize other industries.
No. Dominion Energy does not intend to blend at higher levels in the Delta System at this time. While research indicates that blending up to 20% is acceptable for many materials and appliances, Dominion Energy chose to begin with a lower-level blend of up to 5%.
Other gas distribution of transmission systems pursuing hydrogen blending in North America include:
Hydrogen has a lower energy or heating value than methane which is the primary constituent of natural gas. In other words, one cubic foot of hydrogen will contain less energy than one cubic foot of natural gas. However, Dominion Energy charges customers for delivered gas based on the energy content of the product they are receiving. This is done by measuring the heat value at the location where the gas is delivered and using that heat value to calculate the customer bill. Thus, any changes to the energy content or heat value of the gas delivered to your home or business by blending hydrogen will be factored into your bill calculation. You can rest assured that you will be equitably billed for the energy value of the gas you consume even after the hydrogen-blending commences.
Delta's natural gas system is comprised almost entirely of modern, polyethylene (plastic) pipe that operates at distribution pressures no greater than 45 pounds per square inch (and mostly far less than that). Both industry consensus as well as our own extensive, year-long, in-house testing demonstrated that an up to 5% hydrogen blend will not alter the performance or integrity of the Delta natural gas system.
The American Medical Association (AMA) statement regarding hydrogen blending came at the request and on the basis of research performed by Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR). PSR’s website (psr.org/issues) highlight’s the groups primary objectives which include (1) replacing fossil fuels with 100% renewable energy; (2) reining in military spending to reinvest in community needs; and (3) promoting the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Several of PSR’s research and position assumptions are either not relevant to the Delta blending project which seeks to blend no more than 5% hydrogen for use in low-pressure residential and commercial applications or not consistent with broad industry research and Dominion Energy’s year-long testing and evaluation at our Salt Lake City Training Academy.
1. AMA/PSR claim: Producing hydrogen creates CO2
Response: This is not true. The source from which hydrogen is derived determines if/how much CO2 is created. In the case of the Delta hydrogen blending project, we are using a process called electrolysis that creates hydrogen and oxygen by introducing an electric current to water. When the electricity used in that process is sourced from renewable energy resources or utilizes carbon offsets or credits, the hydrogen produced is considered “green”. The production of green hydrogen does not create CO2. Nor does it produce NOx emissions. Except for during a start-up and the commissioning process, the hydrogen used in the Delta blending project will be derived from the green electrolysis process.
2. AMA/PSR claim: Hydrogen cannot used in appliances that have not been retrofitted
Response: This is not true. Appliances using natural gas within the blending footprint including Delta will not need to be retrofitted in order to accommodate the up to 5% hydrogen blend. This is true for common residential appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, and stoves/ranges. It is also true for commercial appliances such as school or pool boilers. Multiple research sources, including THyGA (thyga-project.eu) and our own year-long testing confirm that blending up to 5% at low pressure does not negatively impact the performance of natural gas appliances. The AMA/PSR’s claim is based on research related to the use of hydrogen blending in large turbines seen only in power plant and large industrial applications and not residential and commercial applications. The blending project footprint does not include power plants or large industrial users.
3. AMA/PSR claim : Burning hydrogen produces more NOx than just natural gas
Response: This is not true. Again, the AMA/PSR is citing research that is applicable to burners which are used for power plants or very large industrial applications and not burners used in low-pressure residential and commercial applications like those found within Delta and the blending footprint. Extensive internal testing for a year at our Salt Lake City Training Academy, which replicates the various appliance equipment/configurations/vintages utilized across our gas footprint, confirms external research that demonstrates that premixed burners, which are the industry standard for residential and commercial U.S. gas appliances, do not produce additional NOx when burning hydrogen blends of up to 5%.
ThermH2 also has a dedicated line at 801-324-3644 for any inquiries.
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