Angeles Link

Frequently Asked Questions

What is clean renewable hydrogen?

Clean renewable hydrogen is produced entirely from renewable electricity and water. It expands our renewable energy storage capabilities, allowing us to reduce emissions in hard-to-electrify sectors by using solar and wind energy that may otherwise be wasted.

What will the clean renewable hydrogen be used for?

The Angeles Link system would be game-changing for the region. As envisioned, the clean renewable hydrogen pipeline system would deliver clean energy in an amount equal to almost 25 percent of the natural gas SoCalGas delivers today, with a focus on serving hard-to-electrify industries – like dispatchable electric generation, high heat industries, and heavy-duty trucks.  Allowing Southern California to reliably transition up to four natural gas power plants to run on clean fuel would help bring more solar and wind onto the grid at the same time.

  • It could also help transition long-haul truck fleets that begin their cross-country journeys right here in Los Angeles County to run on hydrogen fuel cells, preventing up to 3 million gallons of diesel a day from being burned on our streets and freeways, eliminating up to 25,000 tons of NOx pollution each year and 14.3 million metrics tons of CO2 from the air annually – the equivalent of taking 3.1 million cars off the road.

 

Is transporting hydrogen safe?

Yes. SoCalGas is committed to engineering the pipeline system to transport the hydrogen safely and will follow all applicable regulatory requirements to achieve that result.  

Why invest in clean renewable hydrogen?

There’s a growing consensus among academics, industry leaders, community stakeholders and regulators that solar, wind and batteries alone cannot achieve California’s target of carbon neutrality by 2045 – a goal SoCalGas shares for its own operations. Clean renewable hydrogen can play an indispensable role in providing dispatchable energy for hard-to-electrify sectors of the economy, including heavy duty transportation and dispatchable power plants – the big stuff that cannot be plugged in.

Where will the clean renewable hydrogen come from?

We are exploring clean renewable hydrogen supply, including as members of HyDeal, and this would be the subject of a more comprehensive evaluation during the first 12 months of the project. But it’s important to know that based on our initial evaluation, we believe that there are numerous third parties interested in the use of and in producing clean renewable hydrogen, including for example both in-state via renewable energy producers and in the Western Region.    

How will Angeles Link work?

As envisioned, we plan to start with 100% renewable electricity that is on the grid, being curtailed to provide power or newly built renewables to the electrolyzer. Then we will convert it into clean renewable hydrogen with advanced electrolyzers. Electrolysis splits water into hydrogen and oxygen with virtually zero greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions. We will then use our expertise in energy transport infrastructure to safely deliver hydrogen from outside of the LA Basin to industries that need it most. We can use clean renewable hydrogen to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors such as dispatchable electric generation and heavy-duty transportation while driving job creation.

Will Angeles Link use existing pipelines or build new ones?

Due to the volume of hydrogen that we anticipate transporting to serve demand in the Los Angeles Basin, we anticipate that a new clean renewable hydrogen pipeline system will be required to best serve the region.

What are the next steps for Angeles Link and costs identified in the application filed with the CPUC?

The project is divided into three phases. The first phase of the project will be the preliminary front end engineering and design (FEED) scope and feasibility analysis which will take 12-18 months. For more information regarding Phase 2 and Phase 3, please refer to the memo account application on socalgas.com/regulatory/angeleslink.

What is the Quarterly Report?

To increase transparency and gain valuable feedback in its Memorandum Account Application for Angeles Link, SoCalGas proposed to submit interim reports to the CPUC and the public regarding Project status and updates. 

How will Angeles Link reduce the need for Aliso Canyon?

The Angeles Link system would be game changing for the region. The clean renewable hydrogen pipeline system, as envisioned, would deliver clean energy in an amount equal to almost 25 percent of the natural gas SoCalGas delivers today. Clean alternative fuel like clean renewable hydrogen would, over time, reduce demand served by Aliso Canyon, facilitating its ultimate retirement in a manner that still provides reliable and affordable energy to our customers.

Where does Angeles Link fit in with SoCalGas’ sustainability plan?

Angeles Link is a part of our effort to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in operations and delivery by 2045 as outlined in our ASPIRE 2045 climate commitment. Net zero means reducing the transport of traditional natural gas, while increasing the delivery of decarbonized gases (such as renewable natural gas and hydrogen). Since Angeles Link plans to use clean renewable hydrogen, the project is a natural fit and step in the direction of reaching our goals.