US utility begins blending hydrogen into natural-gas supply for 1,800 customers in Utah, despite health concerns
Dominion Energy will blend up to 5% H2 for a 'multi-year' period as part of plans to introduce green hydrogen into the gas grid across the state by 2030
US utility Dominion Energy has begun blending hydrogen into the natural-gas supply in the city of Delta, Utah, as part of plans to do so throughout the state by 2030.
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Dominion — the ninth-largest electricity utility in the US by revenue — says it will blend up to 5% hydrogen into the local gas grid over a multi-year period in order to “reinforce the findings” from its recent year-long testing at its training academy in Utah.
That research found that a 5% hydrogen blend was “safe, compatible with current residential appliances and helpful in reducing emissions from appliances using already clean-burning natural gas”.
“During the course of the project, the majority of hydrogen blended will be green hydrogen made from renewable energy,” Dominion says.
“[Customer] bills will not increase as a result of hydrogen blending. No appliance or equipment changes will be required and appliance performance won’t be impacted,” it adds.
A 5% blend of green hydrogen would only reduce emissions by about 1.66% because it contains around a third less energy by volume than natural gas.
Hydrogen blending has consequently been slammed as a method for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
However, it does not refer to the claims about the increased risk of explosions.
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