Gas companies may start blending hydrogen into pipelines to reduce emissions.
Opponents say it’s risky greenwashing. Supporters view a pilot project in the works at UC Irvine as a crucial step in helping California hit its clean energy goals.
Opponents, who protested the project on campus Friday, say it’s a distraction from more viable climate solutions, and that it will “use college students as guinea pigs in a dangerous experiment.”
And while many of those students remain oblivious to the brewing controversy, others are struggling to decide if they should feel pride or fear over being at ground zero as it all unfolds.
UC Irvine could be among the first places in the country, and one of a small number worldwide, where cleaner-burning hydrogen is blended with natural gas and injected into existing pipelines that directly fuel furnaces, water heaters and other gas-powered appliances.
The university signed a memorandum of understanding this summer with Sempra-owned Southern California Gas Co., which is the largest gas company in the country, to possibly work together on the pilot project. At the same time, San Diego Gas & Electric partnered with UC San Diego in hopes of blending hydrogen into pipelines there, while Southwest Gas wants to use hydrogen to help supply energy to commercial buildings in Truckee. If the California Public Utility Commission approves a joint application for the three hydrogen projects, and final deals are inked, blended fuel could start flowing to buildings as soon as 2024.
If the projects are approved, the commission could use the results to develop standards for safely blending hydrogen into more than 100,000 miles of natural gas pipelines that snake across the state.
Unlike natural gas, burning hydrogen does not produce planet-warming carbon. And, for now, the future use of hydrogen is part of state and federal plans to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
So what is your opinion?
Gas companies may start blending hydrogen into pipelines to reduce emissions.
Opponents say it’s risky greenwashing. Supporters view a pilot project in the works at UC Irvine as a crucial step in helping California hit its clean energy goals.
Opponents, who protested the project on campus Friday, say it’s a distraction from more viable climate solutions, and that it will “use college students as guinea pigs in a dangerous experiment.”
And while many of those students remain oblivious to the brewing controversy, others are struggling to decide if they should feel pride or fear over being at ground zero as it all unfolds.
UC Irvine could be among the first places in the country, and one of a small number worldwide, where cleaner-burning hydrogen is blended with natural gas and injected into existing pipelines that directly fuel furnaces, water heaters and other gas-powered appliances.
The university signed a memorandum of understanding this summer with Sempra-owned Southern California Gas Co., which is the largest gas company in the country, to possibly work together on the pilot project. At the same time, San Diego Gas & Electric partnered with UC San Diego in hopes of blending hydrogen into pipelines there, while Southwest Gas wants to use hydrogen to help supply energy to commercial buildings in Truckee. If the California Public Utility Commission approves a joint application for the three hydrogen projects, and final deals are inked, blended fuel could start flowing to buildings as soon as 2024.
If the projects are approved, the commission could use the results to develop standards for safely blending hydrogen into more than 100,000 miles of natural gas pipelines that snake across the state.
Unlike natural gas, burning hydrogen does not produce planet-warming carbon. And, for now, the future use of hydrogen is part of state and federal plans to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
So what is your opinion?
