Hydrogen Blending
In 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) directed SoCalGas and other gas companies in the state to propose projects that would demonstrate the effectiveness of blending hydrogen with natural gas. The state wants to explore hydrogen blending, and other places around the world have shown that it has the potential to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the air, without causing problems to appliances, homes or the gas system.
We are proposing to blend up to 5% clean, renewable hydrogen into the natural gas system in Orange Cove as a way to demonstrate this for the state, which is considering allowing blending into the larger natural gas system. The project would work up to a mixture of 95% natural gas and 5% hydrogen produced by solar power and water.
While many people may be unfamiliar with hydrogen as a fuel source and hydrogen blending, both have been around and used safely for decades here and around the world. This is not an experiment of some unknown technology. This is California's opportunity to embrace a new, cleaner way of delivering energy.
The following questions and answers are intended to address some common questions about the proposed demonstration.
Questions and Answers
- Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on earth and has the highest energy content of any common fuel by weight.
- When combusted, hydrogen produces water vapor, not greenhouse gas emissions. It is a versatile energy source that can be used to power heavy duty trucks, factories, power plants, as well as your home, appliances, and cars through a hydrogen fuel cell.
- Hydrogen has been safely used for decades in aeronautics to fuel space exploration and in the industrial sector to process food, manufacture electronics, and make glass and metal.
- Countries including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as U.S. states such as Hawaii and Utah, have all incorporated hydrogen safely and reliably into their energy systems.
- We have nearly 160 years of experience in safely delivering energy to our customers. There is stringent federal and state oversight of our infrastructure systems, and we regularly upgrade and improve our safety systems with the latest technologies
- We regularly monitor pipelines, walk every pipeline route at least once a year with survey technology, and inspect every natural gas meter to detect and mitigate any leaks in alignment with state and federal safety standards. We also use integrity management programs to identify and address risks early.
- We stay active in the community and upgrade equipment as needed. For example, just recently replacing the regulator station that serves Orange Cove with new, state-of-the-art equipment.
- Studies and real-world demonstrations in the U.S. and other countries show that hydrogen blends at 5% or less in the distribution system does not harm pipelines, appliances, or impact system safety.
- Natural gas blended with hydrogen, particularly at low levels (such as up to 5%), contains nearly identical characteristics to that of traditional natural gas, including the blue flame that you are used to seeing when using a gas stove.
- Hydrogen blended gas will still include the same odorant used in natural gas - the familiar “rotten egg” smell - so leaks can be easily detected. Studies and utility experience show that this odorant remains strong and detectable even when up to 5% hydrogen is blended into the system.
- Furthermore, we will conduct regular odorant level evaluations throughout the community.
- Additionally, we will perform quarterly leak inspections across all portions of the Orange Cove distribution system, including up to customer meters.
- The hydrogen production and storage equipment, which will be separate from the gas system serving the community, will employ 24/7 leak monitoring and fire detection and will be fitted with automatic and remote shutdown capabilities.
- We do not anticipate condition problems arising as a result of the demonstration project and are not aware of any appliances that cannot function with a 5% hydrogen blend.
- Research performed by various entities has suggested that typical appliances are not affected by hydrogen blends up to 20% hydrogen. For example, Hawai'i Gas has been powering homes and businesses with a fuel mix of up to 15% hydrogen, and its customers have been using hydrogen blended gas in their commercial and residential appliances for more than 50 years.
- If the demonstration project is approved, we will offer inspections of all appliances before the demonstration begins. These inspections are voluntary and designed to confirm home appliances like stoves and water heaters are in safe working order.
- If problems arise, technicians can help troubleshoot problematic appliances or refer customers to our assistance programs.
- If an appliance is deemed unsafe, we offer various customer assistance and energy efficiency programs that help with appliance replacements. Often times, these programs offer equipment replacement at free or low cost.
- No. Research shows that common appliances, including older appliances, can safely operate with hydrogen blends up to 20%, while the Orange Cove demonstration would use only 0.1-5 % blend. That is one of the exciting opportunities for hydrogen blending as a decarbonization strategy.
- CSA Group, a leading appliance testing and certification organization in North America, confirmed that current natural gas appliance certifications remain valid with blends up to 5% hydrogen.
- We have been testing household appliances with hydrogen blends for years, and results show they can safely run on blends up to 20% consistent with national and international findings.
- Since 1974, Hawai'i Gas has been powering homes and businesses with a fuel mix of up to 15% hydrogen, and its customers have been using hydrogen blended gas in their stoves and heaters.
- At a time when affordability is front and center for customers in California, we want to be mindful of impacts to customers' bills. We believe this is a prudent project that will help advance California's decarbonization efforts.
- Contrary to recent reports, we are not making a profit from the proposed project. All proposed costs would cover operational and maintenance expenses. The cost of the proposed project is $53.6 million.
- The CPUC historically has authorized ratepayer funding to be used in demonstration and pilot projects that promote California's climate, energy, and equity policy goals
- We are requesting that the costs of the demonstration be shared among all customers based on the benefits that accrue to all ratepayers from the demonstration. The costs would be shared across the entire SoCalGas service territory, not just the community of Orange Cove.
- Spreading costs across all ratepayers minimizes impact on any single group of customers and helps keep customer rates stable.
- The value of the project comes from the demonstration itself - gathering real-world data on safety and system performance, while also providing hands-on experience for our workforce and customers. This information will help guide future standards, improve technology, and support long-term climate and clean-air planning for the state.
- One of the many benefits of hydrogen blending is the opportunity to drive down the cost of clean renewable hydrogen due to production at scale.
- Yes. Recently, SoCalGas, Southwest Gas and SDG&E asked the CPUC via a Petition for Modification filing to modify a 2022 decision that required natural gas utilities to propose hydrogen blending demonstration projects consistent with certain requirements.
- If the request is approved, the utilities would no longer be required to complete hydrogen blending demonstrations from 0.1% to 5% in medium pressure distribution gas pipelines before proposing a renewable hydrogen injection standard in the distribution system.
- Since the CPUC issued its decision in December 2022, a large amount of new research, demonstrations, and real-world experience have shown that blending up to 5% hydrogen into existing medium pressure gas pipelines can be done safely and effectively with minimal or no infrastructure modifications.
- Studies and real-world demonstrations in the U.S. and other countries show that hydrogen blends at these levels do not harm distribution pipelines, appliances, or impact system safety, enabling the use of existing infrastructure without modification.
- Numerous studies have shown that nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions decrease or remain the same when utilizing hydrogen blends in common appliances. Based on those studies, we would not expect to see a negative impact on indoor air quality due to NOx emissions. However, some of the indoor air impacts—primarily particulate matter—are from the cooking process itself, regardless of the type of energy.
- Several studies have also shown that blends of up to 20% hydrogen can safely power regular everyday household and business appliances, while reducing carbon emissions and potentially even reducing nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions
- A CPUC Decision (D.22.-12-057) required the state's gas utilities to propose hydrogen blending demonstration projects from 0.1-5% and 5-20%.
- Hydrogen blending was identified by the State of California through the California Air Resources Board's Scoping Plan as an important component of its efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. By relying on decades of safe blending work across the globe, the development of a statewide hydrogen blending standard would accelerate the replacement of fossil fuels, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and help California build a cleaner, more resilient energy grid.
- The state of California directed gas utilities to propose hydrogen blending projects as part of its emissions-reduction strategy. Policymakers wisely recognized that a blend containing 20% clean renewable hydrogen could offer a significant 7% systemwide emissions reduction.
- A 7% reduction is not insignificant, as it is comparable to removing over a million cars from California roads each year, and can be a cost-effective solution by utilizing existing infrastructure.
- No. California's natural gas pipelines are built to meet strict state and federal safety standards, and those standards do not prohibit the use of hydrogen. While the design standards were originally written for natural gas - not hydrogen - they do not prevent small amounts of hydrogen from being blended into the system.
- Research from the U.S. and other countries shows that pipelines and most common appliances are compatible with low‑level hydrogen blends. This means that blending small amounts of hydrogen does not require replacing pipelines or replacing all appliances, as some claims suggest.
- Additionally, under existing rules, we can even accept up to 4.99% hydrogen in Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) under certain circumstances and 0.99% at any time.
- Customers still have equal freedom to install electric appliances or any other source of energy, regardless of a hydrogen blending demonstration.
- The main near-term benefit is gaining real-world operational experience and data on hydrogen blending that can help shape how this may be deployed across California in the future. Establishing this could unlock several important long-term benefits, including:
- Reducing emissions by using lower- and no-carbon fuels in the existing natural gas system
- Supporting the growth of hydrogen production, which will be needed for California's clean-energy future
- Providing new opportunities for pipeline workers, helping support [BI30.1]a fair transition as the energy system evolves
- At that scale, hydrogen blending would help California make meaningful progress toward its climate goals.
- When we began looking for partners to host potential hydrogen blending projects, the City of Orange Cove reached out to us to consider developing a project in this community so that residents could meaningfully participate in the energy transition and reap the economic, educational and environmental benefits the project would bring.
- The City of Orange Cove has been working closely with us to align the with the priorities of the community. In support of the project, in March 2024 the City Council passed a resolution for their administration to work on getting the project completed.
- These types of projects don't just bring renewable energy. They bring with them investments, jobs, opportunities for local businesses and more -to the benefit of the residents of Orange Cove. We are not the only utility undertaking this type of project.
- The Central Valley is the state's energy capital and the largest producer of renewable energy. These communities are leading the energy evolution.
- Renewable energy projects are being built throughout the valley. Cities like Orange Cove also deserve to benefit from the projects that are being built.
For more information, contact us at ProjectInfo@socalgas.com or 1-844-765-9385