GE Vernova has been selected by the US Department Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office?(HFTO) to lead a project aiming to enable permitting and safety for hydrogen deployment through an AI assistant.

The project’s objective is to identify the primary challenges to siting, permitting and installation across the value chain from hydrogen production through end-use.

The AI Assistant will be used for safe hydrogen (H2) handling and permitting and trainings focused on the safety for hydrogen development.

GE Vernova will lead a project team named “H2Net”, including Clemson University, and Roper Mountain Science Center based in Greenville, SC, USA. GE Vernova will enter award negotiations valued at $1 million in US federal funding with the DOE to finalise the terms and the scope of the project.

As part of this programme, H2Net is expected to develop an AI Assistant that is trained specifically on the relevant, critical documents for safe hydrogen handling and permitting. The AI Assistant, called HySAGE, (Hydrogen Smart Assistant for Governance Execution), will be validated against requirements and lessons learned at GE Vernova’s Gas Turbine Manufacturing and Technology Center in Greenville, SC.

HySAGE will aim to enable modeling capability and flexibility for incorporating the necessary codes and standards and environmental scenarios to increase the versatility and accuracy of the tool.

Said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm: “These projects will work hand in hand with historic investments in the Hydrogen Hubs and electrolysis technologies to accelerate progress towards a clean hydrogen economy that will deliver good-paying, high-quality jobs and accelerate a renaissance of American manufacturing.”