Southwest Gas Corporation is collaborating with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and Arizona State University in Tempe (ASU) to investigate how hydrogen-blended natural gas can reduce carbon emissions even lower while still providing clean and reliable electricity.
The complimentary pilot initiatives will begin concurrently in the first quarter of 2022, with the first phase lasting several months, and will represent important breakthroughs in the use of a natural gas and hydrogen combination. The scope and duration of the following phases will be determined by the outcomes of the first phase.
As an unbiased third party, experts from the UNLV Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering and ASU Lightworks®, a program of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Future LaboratoryTM, will provide assistance and collaborate with Southwest Gas to produce the studies. The study will be undertaken in both cities at Southwest Gas’ Emergency Response Training Facility (EMRF) to learn more about the viability of using hydrogen to design a low-carbon, sustainable energy future. The EMRF facilities are excellent for conducting the research because they have systems that simulate the natural gas distribution system as well as real-world natural gas appliances in a controlled environment.
When the research is finished, it will be possible to determine:
-the best, safest, and most environmentally friendly hydrogen/natural gas blend percentage
-Aspects of hydrogen-blending safety
-Hydrogen’s physical effects on the natural gas distribution infrastructure and typical natural gas appliances
-The effects of combining hydrogen and natural gas on heating times and temperatures in relation to current natural gas heating times
-How much does hydrogen cost?
Southwest Gas will employ the university’s electrolyzer, which splits hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water with an electric current, to test the production, blending, distribution, and end-use of the hydrogen blend as part of the relationship with UNLV. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis and will be blended with natural gas at various levels for the study – 5%, 10%, and 50% – before being pumped into the existing natural gas infrastructure at EMRF.
The experiments at ASU will employ pre-purchased hydrogen bottles to create a mixture of up to 20% hydrogen and 80% natural gas.
The Southwest Gas Hydrogen Pilot Action Team is leading another pilot program that aims to create demonstrations based on the features of blended hydrogen, with important milestones including using a natural gas BBQ to grill with 5% hydrogen blended gas. Southwest Gas will also test the effect of the blend on natural gas appliances while monitoring leak detection in the system to assess any variations in processes required to assure the continued safety of the surrounding neighborhoods.
“While clean, inexpensive, and reliable natural gas has already helped drive emissions reductions,” says Southwest Gas President and CEO John Hester, “we believe Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and hydrogen are powerful alternatives to further decarbonize our system.” “We’re adopting a proactive pioneering approach to hydrogen, just as we did with RNG. These collaborations will help our company, and more crucially, the communities we serve, define a low-carbon future. We’re excited to show how hydrogen combined with natural gas can meet everyday energy needs while also lowering pollution.”
