The centrepiece of the study, named Hydrogen to Infinity (H2?) is a large-scale project that will blend hydrogen and natural gas in a stand-alone transmission pipeline system.

H2? is aimed to enable PG&E and project partners Northern California Power Agency, Siemens Energy, the City of Lodi, GHD Inc and University of California at Riverside to conduct a complete study of different levels of hydrogen blends in a multi-feed, multi-directional natural gas pipeline system that is independent from its current natural gas transmission system.

The dedicated facility should allow for a controlled and safe study of hydrogen injection, storage and combustion of different blends in a variety of end uses.

NCPA’s Lodi Energy Center power plant is located adjacent to H2? and will accept a hydrogen-natural gas blend for electric generation in the Siemens Energy 5000F4 gas turbine.

“As we advance PG&E’s climate commitments and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from fossil fuels, our feasibility studies of hydrogen are an essential part of our growth and evolution as a natural gas utility,” says said PG&E Gas Engineering Senior Vice President Janisse Quiñones.

“This new facility will provide critical research, close information gaps and unlock opportunities not only for PG&E, but for the entire global network of natural gas pipeline operators.”

H2? will include a new 53ha facility located in Lodi that will serve as a study laboratory incorporating production, pipeline transportation, storage and combustion.

Areas of focus within the pilot include the technical, operational, and safety needs, market development, energy resiliency and flexibility and commercial and government partnerships.

In addition, it will serve as a functional test environment for on-going research and a training environment for the new technology and could become the centrepiece for a potential Northern California Hydrogen Hub.