SoCalGas utility collaborating with UC-Irvine for Renewable Hydrogen blending on Campus

The Sempra Energy-owned Southern California Gas utility want to demonstrate how electrolytic hydrogen can be blended into natural gas infrastructure on the University of California, Irvine campus.

SoCalGas and UC-Irvine plan to collaborate on developing clean, renewable hydrogen into the energy mix. Hydrogen does not emit carbon dioxide, but is considered green only if it is made through electrolysis powered by clean energy resources such as wind and solar energy.

"Research at UCI has shown that we cannot achieve high renewable power use without the features of hydrogen," said Jack Brouwer, UCI professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the UCI-based National Fuel Cell Research Center. "The massive storage and resilient underground transmission and distribution of renewable energy that will be enabled by transformation of the gas system to renewable and clean hydrogen use will be investigated and advanced in this important effort."

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As proposed, UCI would use an electrolyzer to convert water into hydrogen for blending into the existing gas grid on sections of the UCI campus. The demonstration would power existing residential and light commercial equipment, including water heaters, boilers, furnaces, and ovens in academic buildings, student amenities, and housing.

The project would initially blend 5 percent hydrogen, with a goal of gradually increasing the hydrogen blend up to 20 percent, resulting in potentially significant CO₂ emissions reductions.

Earlier this year, SoCalGas detailed plans for what it called the nation’s largest green hydrogen infrastructure system to bring carbon-free H2 into the Los Angeles region. The Angeles Link would move green hydrogen at volumes equivalent to 25 percent of SoCalGas’ current natural gas delivery amounts.

The utility says that infrastructure would displace up to 3 million gallons of diesel fuel per day by replacing those heavy-duty trucks with hydrogen fuel-cell trucks.