Sourcing Renewables  -  December 14, 2020

Clemson University joins federally-funded hydrogen research team

Clemson University is teaming up with Siemens Energy and Duke Energy on a federally-funded research project looking into the use of hydrogen for energy storage and low- to no-carbon fuel.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Dec. 10 that it is awarding Siemens Energy with a $200,000 grant for the project, dubbed H2-Orange. The team will use the project as an opportunity to study the production of hydrogen, including green hydrogen, as well as storage and co-firing with natural gas and will use hydrogen to produce energy at Duke Energy’s combined heat and power plant at Clemson University in South Carolina.

“This collaboration supports our institutional goal to be carbon neutral while advancing the development of energy technologies that could have far-reaching societal benefit,” Tanju Karanfil, Clemson University vice president for research, said in a statement. “We are proud to collaborate with industry leaders Duke Energy and Siemens Energy and appreciate their interest in this project.”

Clemson and Siemens Energy are targeting carbon neutrality by 2030, while Duke Energy is working toward a 2050 target. 

Through this research partnership, Siemens will study the use of its Silyzer electrolyzer to produce hydrogen fuel to power a natural gas turbine at Clemson. The university will then lead the integration of hydrogen into the campus grid and ensure its energy needs are met.

“Hydrogen integration is a possibility at many of our natural gas stations,” said Regis Repko, Duke Energy’s senior vice president and chief fossil/hydro officer. “The best way to innovate is through teamwork, and this research could influence the future of energy-reducing reliance on fossil fuels, decreasing energy costs and benefiting the environment and all energy users.”

The project will be ramping up its operations beginning in March 2021.

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