[USA] Southeast Hydrogen Hub submits application to DOE for green hydrogen funding

On April 11, 2023, the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition announced it had applied to the Department of Energy (DOE) for funding to build a green hydrogen network spanning six states and including five major utilities.[1] Specifically, members of the coalition include Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), Southern Company, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Battelle. The coalition’s goal is to develop a regional hydrogen hub that will allow members to deploy green hydrogen as a decarbonization solution for customers and communities. According to the press release, a hydrogen hub in the Southeastern U.S. could help in decarbonization efforts in the region and bring development benefits and jobs. The effort has the backing of lawmakers from both parties, including Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

The coalition is seeking funding from the $8 billion made available by the DOE through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create regional clean hydrogen hubs. The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition was one of 79 potential hubs to submit initial concept papers to the DOE in 2022. In late December 2022, the DOE issued notices to the coalition and 32 other applicants, encouraging them to proceed with submitting full applications by April 7, 2023. Final funding decisions are expected by the fall of 2023.

[1] https://www.tva.com/newsroom/press-releases/southeast-hydrogen-hub-coalition-submits-formal-application-for-funding-to-the-u.s.-department-of-energy

[USA] DOE releases reports highlighting commercialization paths for long-duration storage, advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen

On March 21, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of its Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, a series of reports charting pathways to commercialize long-duration storage[1], advanced nuclear reactors, and clean hydrogen.[2] The reports are designed to help the private sector and other stakeholders make decisions about emerging technologies that are needed to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Each report highlights possible solutions to the challenges facing the technologies and routes to commercialization. Additional reports are expected in the coming months.

The reports concluded that by 2030, cumulative investments must increase from approximately $40 billion to $300 billion across the hydrogen, nuclear, and long-duration energy storage sectors. In the clean hydrogen report, the DOE found that production for U.S. demand could grow from about 1 million metric tons a year to about 10 MMT/year in 2030. However, despite increased investor engagement and project announcements, the DOE report states that infrastructure buildout, demand uncertainty, workforce development, and other challenges to at-scale adoption need to be addressed for clean hydrogen to realize its full potential. 

In the long-duration storage report, the DOE found that the U.S. grid may need 225 GW to 460 GW of long-duration storage to support power markets for a net zero economy by 2060, representing $330 billion in capital spending. To reach commercial viability, technological progress, cost reductions, and an increase in public and private investment must be achieved. For advanced nuclear reactors, the DOE found that U.S. nuclear capacity could triple by 2050 from about 100 GW today. The report identified several obstacles, including increasing deployment of mature technologies and building efficient and timely delivery models.

[1] The DOE defines long-duration storage as resources that can provide continuous energy for 10 hours to about 160 hours.

[2] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-reports-pathways-commercial-liftoff-accelerate-clean-energy-technologies

[USA] Pennsylvania to apply for federal funding to establish a hydrogen hub

On May 17, 2022, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) announced that the state is working to establish a Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub funded under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).[1] The IIJA allocates $8 billion for four hydrogen hubs in the U.S. to expand the use of clean hydrogen in the industrial sector. The law requires that at least two of these hubs are located in regions with the highest natural gas resources, such as Pennsylvania. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Pennsylvania is the second-largest producer of natural gas and the third-largest producer of coal in the U.S.[2] The state also has sizeable industrial and manufacturing industries, which could help it succeed as a hydrogen hub. The clean hydrogen hub could bring more jobs to the state, as well as help it reduce its emissions. Pennsylvania currently ranks fourth in carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector, according to the EIA. The Department of Energy (DOE) expects that applications for the hydrogen hub funding will open later this summer.

[1] https://dced.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-announces-aggressive-push-to-secure-clean-hydrogen-hub-in-pennsylvania/

[2] https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=PA

[USA] PG&E announces comprehensive hydrogen study and demonstration facility

On May 2, 2022, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that it is launching a comprehensive end-to-end hydrogen study and demonstration facility to examine the potential of zero-carbon hydrogen as a renewable energy source.[1] Called Hydrogen to Infinity, the study will blend hydrogen and natural gas in a standalone transmission pipeline system. The facility will allow PG&E and its partners (Northern California Power Agency (NCPA), Siemens Energy, the City of Lodi, GHD Inc., and the University of California at Riverside) to conduct a study of different levels of hydrogen blends in a natural gas pipeline that is independent from its current natural gas transmission system. The 130-acre facility in Lodi, California will also allow for a controlled and safe study of hydrogen injection, storage, and combustion of different hydrogen blends in several end-uses. NCPA’s Lodi Energy Center power plant, located near Hydrogen to Infinity, will accept a hydrogen-natural gas blend for electric generation in the Siemens Energy 5000F4 Gas Turbine.

The project will focus on several areas, including technical, operational, and safety needs; market development; energy resiliency and flexibility; commercial and government partnerships; unprecedented functional test environment for ongoing research; and training environment for new technology. The utility is considering this facility being the centerpiece for a potential Northern California Hydrogen Hub.

[1] https://www.pge.com/en_US/about-pge/media-newsroom/news-details.page?pageID=66b8ed99-3175-48da-95d6-1a1fde0a4f18&ts=1651764930381

[Japan] Hokuriku Electric Power and JFE Engineering Seeks to Expand the Use of AI-based WinmuSe System to Optimize Dam Operation

On June 12, 2020, Hokuriku Electric Power (Rikuden, Headquarters: Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture) and JFE Engineering, an engineering company headquartered in Tokyo, announced that they had jointly developed an optimal operating system for dams using AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology, which will help increase hydroelectricity power plants’ generation. The system mainly utilizes the WinmuSe, an AI-based water inflow forecasting application developed by JFE Engineering.

The two companies have jointly demonstrated WinmuSe at Rikuden’s Asaida Dam, located in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, since FY 2017. Its forecasting function was successfully improved through advanced analysis of large amounts of data related to Asaida Dam’s amount of rainfall and water inflow in past years. The results of the demonstration project showed excellent performance, with a high level of accuracy in forecasting water inflow. The project also confirmed that the system could be expected to increase the generation of hydroelectricity power plants by approximately 5 GWh per year.

Based on the results, Rikuden and JFE Engineering plan to apply the AI-based optimal operating system to other dams in the entire Jinzu River Water System, aiming to maximize their power generation.[1]

[1] http://www.rikuden.co.jp/press/attach/20061201.pdf

[Japan] Kansai Electric Power Began Commercial Operations at Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Plant in Laos

On September 6, 2019, Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), headquartered in Osaka Prefecture, announced that it has begun commercial operation of Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Plant in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) on September 5.

 The Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Plant’s construction began in October 2014. The plant consists of two power stations; the main power station has a generation capacity of approximately 270MW, and the re-regulation power station has a capacity of 20MW. The main power station is equipped with a large-scale dam, which is 167m high and 530m long. The plant is a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) project and supplies 1.6 billion kWh of electricity in Laos and Thailand annually. The hydropower plant is located on the Nam Ngiep River, one of the tributaries of Mekong River which flows across the border between Laos and Thailand.

 In April 2006, KEPCO signed a project development agreement (PDA) with the Laos government. In April 2013, a joint venture, Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company (NNP1) was established to develop the Nam Ngiep 1 project. The joint venture members are KEPCO, EGAT International, a subsidiary of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), and Lao Holding State Enterprise, a subsidiary of the Laos government. The NNP1 is headquartered in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.[1] In August 2013, NNP1 entered into a 27-year power purchasing agreement (PPA) with EGAT and Électricité du Laos (EDL).[2]

[1] https://namngiep1.com/about-us/

[2] https://www.kepco.co.jp/corporate/pr/2019/0906_1j.html

[Japan] Japan, the EU and the United States Announced a Joint Statement on Cooperation on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

On June 15, 2019, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy (EC, ENER) and the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) announced a joint statement on future cooperation on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, promising to enhance the mutual cooperation among the three counties/regions. Japan, the EU, and the U.S. have been contributing to various efforts to develop hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for more than 30 years, and are global leaders in this field.

While the three governmental organizations have already been working with other countries through various international collaborations and partnerships, they decided that this new collaboration will advance the research on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. They will pursue how to effectively develop and implement a cooperation framework, based on their energy consensus on hydrogen technology. The framework would possibly be created through a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) in preparation for the 2nd Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting, which will be held on September 25, 2019.

The proposed MOC would promote the development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, focusing on specific aspects under the “Tokyo Statement”, which was released at the Second Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting held on October 23, 2018. These include promoting technical cooperation and harmonizing regulations, codes, and standards; facilitating international joint research and development on hydrogen, sharing information on hydrogen safety and the supply chain; investigating and studying hydrogen’s potential for reducing CO2 emissions and other emissions; and supporting communication, education, and outreach.

[Japan] Kyushu Electric Power Company and Exergy Power System Will Jointly Operate a Power Management Project in Ireland

On March 25, 2019, Kyushu Electric Power Company (also known as Kyuden) announced that it has partnered with Exergy Power System to jointly operate a power supply and demand management project in Ireland starting from the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The project will utilize a rechargeable battery system developed by Exergy Power System, a start-ups from the University of Tokyo that is developing next-generation hydrogen cells for energy storage.[1] Kyushu Electronic Power has been seeking to collaborate with start-ups to develop and explore new business opportunities since it initiated the “Kyuden i-Project” in fiscal year 2017, which focuses on pursuing innovation through concept creation, concept commercialization or deployment as service.[2] The collaboration with Exergy Power System is part of the Kyuden i-Project.[3]

[1] https://www.ut-ec.co.jp/portfolio/exergy

[2] http://www.kyuden.co.jp/var/rev0/0149/3839/o0wpb4su_p34-37.pdf

[3] http://www.kyuden.co.jp/press_h190325-1.html

[Japan] Japan’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Released a Revised Strategic Roadmap for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

On March 12, 2019, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) released a revised version of the Strategic Roadmap for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. The revised strategic roadmap sets new specifications and cost breakdowns for basic hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and provides goals and measures to promote the utilization of hydrogen resources and optimize hydrogen supply chains. The strategic road map aims to reduce the costs of hydrogen technologies considerably, accelerate the research and development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, explore potential markets for hydrogen electricity, and facilitate cooperation with other countries. The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy will host an expert working group to review the current progress of the achievements and implementation in the areas depicted in the roadmap.

The Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells was first released in 2014 and revised in 2016. The Agency developed three policy documents after the release of the strategic road map. The Basic Hydrogen Strategy was published in December 2017, the Fifth Strategic Energy Plan was released in July 2018, and the Tokyo Statement was issued in October 2018. Based on the strategic road map and these related policy documents, the Japanese government will promote public education about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and will seek cooperation with experts, academia, and other countries like the U.S. and France, in order to advance research activities and develop a legal framework.

[Japan] Hitachi Zosen Developed the Largest Megawatt-Class Solid Polymer-Type Hydrogen Generator

Hitachi Zosen announced that it has developed the largest solid polymer-type hydrogen generator in Japan. The generator uses water electrolysis to produce 200 Nm3/h of hydrogen, and can store surplus electricity at a megawatt-class power generation facility. Hitachi Zosen will launch its demonstration experiments later this year and aims to start sales in FY2019. Hitachi Zosen has been engaged in the development of hydrogen generators since 1974, when it joined the Sunshine Project funded by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI, now METI, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry).

Hydrogen generators electrolyze water to produce high purity hydrogen that can be stored by using the excessive power generated by renewable energies such as wind and solar. To enlarge its electrolytic cell, which is the heart of the generator, Hitachi Zosen successfully combined electrolytic technology with filter press technology. In addition, the generator is cheap to install, since it is a portable-type generator that can be stored in a 40-ft container.

[Japan] NEDO, Obayashi, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Demonstrated the World's First Thermoelectric Power Supply with 100% Hydrogen Fuel in Kobe

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Obayashi Corporation, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries demonstrated the world’s first thermoelectric power supply in an urban area, using a gas turbine system operated with 100% hydrogen fuel in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture on April 19 and 20, 2018. The 1 MW hydrogen cogeneration system (Hydrogen CGS) was installed at Kobe Port Island. Using only hydrogen as fuel, it successfully delivered 2,800 kW of heat to the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital and the Kobe Port Island Sports Center, and also supplied 1,100 kW of electricity to both facilities, as well as to the Kobe International Exhibition Hall and the Port Island Water Treatment Plant. The project will continue to conduct verification tests and acquire seasonal data to establish optimal control technologies for producing electricity, heat, and hydrogen energy.

The Hydrogen CGS can operate using either hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. NEDO demonstrated the Hydrogen CGS using hydrogen and natural gas in February 2018 and verified the combustion and operational stability at that time.