Paving the Way for a Net-Zero Future
At the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission, SoCalGas is proposing a local demonstration project that could safely blend up to 5% clean renewable hydrogen into the natural gas system serving approximately 10,000 residents, along with commercial customers in the City of Orange Cove, in Fresno County.
What is Hydrogen Blending
It is the process of blending hydrogen into natural gas and injecting it into the natural gas infrastructure.
Project Overview
- The project would blend clean renewable hydrogen with natural gas into the existing gas distribution system serving approximately 10,000 residents, along with commercial customers in the City of Orange Cove
- Starting with small concentrations of 0.1% gradually increasing the hydrogen concentrations up to 5%
- Active blending is expected to last approximately 18 months in the city
How Hydrogen Blending Would Work in Orange Cove
Hydrogen and General Safety Overview
Blended hydrogen is a fuel that has been safely and reliably utilized around the world for decades. For example, Hawaiʻi Gas has been using hydrogen in its fuel mix for a half-century and has more than 1,100 miles of pipelines that transport up to 15% hydrogen, serving homes, schools, restaurants, and businesses. Here’s what our research found:
• Hydrogen is no more or less dangerous than other flammable fuels, including gasoline and natural gas. In fact, some of hydrogen’s differences actually provide safety benefits compared to gasoline or other fuels.1
• If a pipeline is leak-tight for natural gas, it would also be leak-tight for a hydrogen blend.2
• Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is both non-toxic and non-poisonous.3
• Hydrogen is lighter than air and diffuses rapidly.4
• The US currently produces about 10 million metric tons of hydrogen each year.5
• For decades, hydrogen has been safely used in the chemical and refining industries.6
• Hydrogen has been blended into existing gas infrastructure to help decarbonization efforts by a variety of localities around the world for decades:
The above showcases hydrogen blended at various percentages by volume
SoCalGas Has a Robust Safety Plan for Orange Cove
We understand that those working and residing near the demonstration project locations may have concerns. Here’s how we plan to help address them:
- Install remote methane/hydrogen monitoring systems within the production facility that are active 24/7 and monitored in real-time
- Perform leak surveys before, after, and on a quarterly basis during implementation
- Survey customer equipment to confirm it is operating safely
- Conduct safety and operational tests on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly frequency based on manufacturer recommendations
- Provide hydrogen safety education for emergency personnel
- Create specific hydrogen blending customer protocols and emergency response plans
SoCalGas is Experienced with Hydrogen Blending
Blending is safe and proven and SoCalGas has been blending hydrogen with natural gas for a decade. We blended hydrogen on the University of California, Irvine campus in 2016. And today, we're blending hydrogen on our own properties, including at our [H2] Innovation Experience hydrogen home in Downey.
Orange Cove Could Help Pave the Way for a Net-Zero Future
To support California's climate and clean air goals, SoCalGas is proposing a demonstration project that will blend clean renewable hydrogen serving residents and businesses. This project would offer a real-world environment to better understand how clean renewable hydrogen and natural gas can be safely delivered to customers in the future. This is part of a broader effort by California and utilities to develop a standard for safe hydrogen blending, which could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. The data gathered from this demonstration can also help assess how to speed the development and deployment of related advanced technologies key to the state's climate and clean air goals.
Additional Resources
For more information, contact us at ProjectInfo@socalgas.com or 844-765-9385