HydrogenCPUC Workshop for Renewable Natural GasFriday, May 24, 2019

Hydrogen 101

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Hydrogen Fast Facts

•Most common element in the universe

•Cannot be found in its natural state, must be manufactured

•About 14 times lighter than air•Lowest density of all gasses

•Difficult to contain & monitor, due to density

•Tasteless, odorless, colorless

Hydrogen Benefits

•Can be produced from diverse set of sources using a variety of process technologies 

•Clean alternative fuel for internal combustion engines

•Reduces emissions—oxidized to water with no emissions 

Hydrogen End‐Uses

•Fuel Cell Vehicles•Power Generation•Stationary Fuel Cells•Long‐Term, Super‐Bulk Energy Storage

•Rocket Fuel•Oil Refining•Fertilizer

Benefits of Hydrogen Energy Storage

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• Scalable: using pipelines to store hydrogen allows for quick scaling of storage• Benefits the electric grid 

• Fast‐acting: frequency regulation; valuable ancillary services to support intermittent renewable production

• Dispatchable supply and load: provides grid flexibility for load following, peaking, and demand response

• Congestion relief: more easily move renewable power from remote locations to demand centers without building new electric transmission

• Long‐term storage: will be necessary when renewables exceed 60%• Flexibility

• Storage• Vehicle fuel • Industrial applications (fuel refining, metal/glass production, fertilizer, 

etc.)• Zero emissions: no carbon emissions; no local air quality impacts from fuel 

cells

Green Hydrogen and Energy Storage

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Global Arena

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Utility‐Specific Knowledge and Work

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Hydrogen Blending Status Southwest Gas participation in Industry RNG Research

New topic for Southwest Gas

Southwest Gas participation in new Industry Research on Hydrogen through Gas Technology Institute (GTI)

• Hydrogen Effects on Metallic Materials• Hydrogen Blending Working Group

Regular meetings between California Utilities

PG&E Hydrogen Research and Development

8 • INTERNAL

Current Collaborative R&D Efforts• Developing generation technologies

• Exploring H2 to methane technologies

• Examining safety impact and developing quality standards and measurement equipment for retrofitting natural gas pipe to accept higher levels of hydrogen

• Defining interconnection process and requirements

• Developing H2 / CH4 separation technologies for delivery of pure H2

Future Collaborative R&D Needs• Develop gas measurement devices for H2

blend

• Adapt end-use equipment for H2 blend and/or pure H2

• Develop vehicle fueling stations

SoCalGas VisionBe the cleanest natural gas utility in North America» Balanced Energy approach to create a resilient, reliable, and

affordable infrastructure for our energy future.» Using green hydrogen technology, California can capture the excess

wind and solar energy to be used when it is needed most. The excess wind and solar power can be converted into green hydrogen, which can be used alone, or mixed with traditional natural gas, or combined with excess carbon dioxide (CO2) to be stored in the current natural gas pipeline infrastructure.

» Prior to introducing more hydrogen to SCG/SDG&E natural gas system, we are pursuing further studies distinctly profiled for the SCG/SDG&E gas system to understand impact of variability and dynamics.

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SoCalGas Hydrogen Research Areas» Renewables

Biomass to hydrogen» Hydrogen Generation

Electrolysis Solar steam methane reforming Methane pyrolysis

» Gas Infrastructure Pipeline materials impact Gas blending

» Hydrogen Vehicles Fuel Cell electric vehicle

development Fueling station infrastructure

» Power generation Residential and commercial

stationary fuel cells Hydrogen blending for DG

» Heating Hydrogen blending for

residential and commercial space and water heating

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SoCalGas Hydrogen RD&D Highlights

» UC Irvine hydrogen blending demonstration 60kW electrolyzer with gas blending

» Methane Pyrolysis for zero-carbon hydrogen and carbon nanotubes CH4 → C(s) + 2H2

» Hydrogen Micro-Cities demonstration Deploy hydrogen generation, storage,

and fuel cell to increase microgrid resiliency

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Microscopic image of carbon nanotube growth on catalyst surface

Prof. Jack Brouwer demonstrates the inner workings of UCI’s electrolyzer

Containerized Stationary Fuel Cell for power generation to support a microgrid

Partnerships & Key Studies

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Partner ScopeAGA/CGA: Blending of Hydrogen into Natural Gas Delivery Systems (2018)

Gas Technology Institute: Hydrogen Blending into the Natural Gas Network – A Risk Analysis (2010)

Initial Assessment of the Effects of Hydrogen Blending in Natural Gas on Properties and Operational Safety (2015)

HYREADY: Engineering Guidelines – For the preparation of natural gas systems for hydrogen / NG mixtures (2018)

University of California, Irvine: Pilot project for power-to-gas with solar PV

DNV-GL: Mathematical demonstration of the amount of hydrogen that can be added to natural gas (2017)

University of Southern California: Hydrogen Embrittlement Literature Review (2014)

Permeability and Porosity Measurements of Gas Storage Rock Samples (2010)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:

Evaluating Hydrogen Embrittlement of Pipeline Steels (2016)

Sandia National Laboratories: Hydrogen Effects on Materials for CNG / H2 Blends (2010)

Colorado State University: Impact of H2-NG Blending on Lambda Sensor NSCR Control and Lean Burn Emissions (2015)

NYSEARCH RANGE™ Interchangeability study for hydrogen-natural gas blends on SoCalGas customer equipment.

The Path Forward

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Common Variable System Elements

Issues that apply to most Utility Systems:

• Long-Term System Integrity Impacts• Industrial Customers, NGVs, and System Equipment• End-Use Appliances (Residential and Commercial)• Regulatory Rules and Tariffs

Utility Systems have variability in pipeline and equipment characteristics and customer equipment profiles.

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Current Knowledge of Limits*

Valves, Flanges, 10% H2

Low Risk High Risk

NGV Engine (sparkplugs), 0.03% H2Cummins Westport

Microturbine, 1% H2Capstone

Turbine, 4% H2

Solar Turbines

Turbine, 5% H2

General Electric

Meters, 30% H2 Plastic Pipe, 30% H2 Steel Pipe, 5 to 20% H2CARB 2292.5 CNG spec, 0.1% H2

* Limits are determined by external parties through lab environment or new installation and therefore not conclusive for California utility systems. Warrants further studies distinctly profiled for the variability and dynamics of each utilities’ natural gas system.

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Turbine, 30% H2Mitsubishi

More Research Needed

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Renewable Methane & Hydrogen Injection Standards?

What information is needed in order to develop and finalize what standards should apply to interconnecting and authorizing the injection of renewable methane/carbon‐free (green) hydrogen projects into the natural gas pipeline system?

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Renewable Methane & Hydrogen Injection Standards?

Path forward should include:• Joint utility and stakeholder work group on research and action plan• Study to examine

• Safety concerns associated with blending hydrogen into the existing natural gas pipeline system

• Maximum hydrogen blend levels at which no or minor modifications would be needed for natural gas infrastructure and end‐use systems

• Impacts on durability of existing natural gas pipeline system associated with exposure to hydrogen 

• Impacts of hydrogen on natural gas pipeline leakage rates• Impact on steel valves, fittings, welds, and other materials due to hydrogen embrittlement

• Impact of hydrogen on permeability of storage rock and of the compatibility of the full range of hydrogen blend fractions on storage infrastructure

• Impact on pipelines under cathodic protection• Existing international hydrogen blending and injection studies, activities, and regulations

• Pilot projects18