On October 27, 2023, Duke Energy announced that it will break ground on a demonstration project capable of producing, storing, and combusting 100% green hydrogen in DeBary, Florida, the first such project in the U.S.[1] The project will take place at Duke Energy Florida’s existing 74.5 MW Debary solar plant and is in collaboration with Sargent and Lundy and GE Vernova. The solar plant will provide energy for two 1-MW electrolyzer units that will separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms. When energy demand peaks, stored hydrogen will be dispatched to a combustion turbine that will be upgraded using GE Vernova technology to run on a natural gas/hydrogen blend or up to 100% hydrogen. This will be the first combustion turbine in operation in the country running at such a high percentage of hydrogen. Duke said that construction will take about a year to complete and that it is aiming for an operational date in 2024.

[1] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-announces-plans-to-build-and-operate-the-nations-first-system-capable-of-producing-storing-and-combusting-100-green-hydrogen-in-a-combustion-turbine-in-florida