AVANGRID, a US utility, has submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy for various hydrogen production, storage, and transportation facilities (DoE).
This comes after the Department of Energy issued a Request for Information on potential initiatives the US could take to develop its hydrogen market and decarbonize diverse businesses.
According to a survey done by engineering firm DNV, the most significant barrier to industry expansion is a lack of infrastructure for hydrogen generation, storage, and delivery. As a result, putting more emphasis on growing hydrogen infrastructure will help the US achieve low-cost clean hydrogen at scale.
AVANGRID proposes establishing production and storage facilities in Connecticut to ensure the United States has appropriate hydrogen infrastructure. The utility intends to build a 20MW electrolyser and storage facility in the state for use by its gas and electric businesses. Offshore wind and additional grid-scale solar energy installations will power the electrolyser. The project is planned to produce 2.9 million kg of hydrogen per year, cut carbon emissions by 25,000 tons per year, and create between 400 and 800 jobs if permitted and implemented.
In New York, the company’s affiliate Rochester Gas & Electric will work with a number of companies in the transportation industry to investigate hydrogen uses for lowering the sector’s carbon impact. A multi-use hydrogen production and distribution facility is being built by the utility.
AVANGRID is investigating how green hydrogen can be utilized for decarbonization in the manufacturing and transportation (trucking and aviation) industries in Maine through its subsidiary Central Maine Power.
In addition, the utility intends to build green hydrogen manufacturing facilities in Oregon and along the Gulf Coast.
