It has recently been awarded up to $644,000 by the Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (DOE) to evaluate the economic impacts and research needs to deploy clean hydrogen technologies in Wyoming through a grant from the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER).
We need to assess Wyoming’s energy sector’s potential for hydrogen as an energy carrier, SER Executive Director Holly Krutka says. DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management has recognized the value of this project, for which we are extremely grateful.
It’s a good time for the federal government to invest in hydrogen, as SER is working to establish a hydrogen research center at the University of Washington.
One of the H2ERC’s goals is to study hydrogen production from various sources, including low-cost coal and methane reforming from the massive methane reserves in the United States, wind energy generated by electrolysis, and nuclear and other forms of clean hydrogen.
Hydrogen is a natural fit for Wyoming energy production because of the state’s natural resources and existing infrastructure, Krutka says. To help Wyoming and its energy customers adapt to the rapidly changing energy landscape, SER is committed to building on Wyoming’s strengths and assessing a viable technology that can be used in the future.
One of the main goals of the Wyoming Hydrogen Initiative led by the Wyoming Energy Authority will be to identify and quantify Wyoming’s relative advantages in an emerging low-carbon hydrogen economy in collaboration with SER.
“While we are focused on all types of hydrogen production, it’s important to note that hydrogen produced from fossil fuels will require carbon management strategies, such as carbon capture and storage,” says Scott Quillinan, SER senior director of research. “Wyoming’s specialization and legal framework in this area provide a competitive edge for fossil fuel-based clean hydrogen projects in the region.”
