Hydrogen production process converts natural
gas into pure hydrogen and a solid carbon byproduct; could provide
breakthrough for hydrogen as economic, zero-emission energy
source
An innovative demonstration project that will attempt to create
zero-emission hydrogen energy at the scale needed for widespread
adoption is now underway in Western Pennsylvania. Peoples, an
Essential Utilities company, leads the pilot with support from
Pittsburgh-based energy technology start-up company H Quest and the
University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. The
testing is one of multiple ways Essential and Peoples are working
to be leaders in hydrogen.
First, Peoples installed one of H Quest’s proprietary
microwave pyrolysis units at its training center in
McKeesport to transform natural gas into pure hydrogen (H2) without
CO2 emissions. The process creates what is often referred to as
turquoise hydrogen. Roughly the size of a shipping
container, technology within the unit heats the natural gas as it
flows through the system in an oxygen-free setting. This almost
instantaneously “cracks” the gas into two distinct byproducts:
clean H2, and a solid carbon material called carbon black:
an industrial product used as a crucial component in batteries,
paints, pigments, rubber products, tires, and more. H Quest’s
system will produce hydrogen directly from natural gas without CO2
emissions.
Peoples then blends the hydrogen with natural gas at various
ratios to assess impacts on physical pipeline operations and
various home appliances. The ongoing blending and testing at the
Peoples Training Center in McKeesport occurs within a closed-loop
system; H2 is not inserted into distribution lines that serve
customers at this point.
“Our mission to provide safe, reliable, and affordable natural
gas is based on a commitment to make lives better,” said Peoples
President Michael Huwar. “That commitment means pursuing
innovations that leverage our local abundance of natural gas while
placing a focus on decarbonization. At the same time, we have a
regulatory commitment to purchase gas at the lowest cost for our
customers. Supporting technological advancements that allow
hydrogen to be produced at a scale that makes H2 affordable is
critically important.”
Peoples co-hosted two conferences bringing together regional and
national leaders in hydrogen technology and policy, and began a
research project with Pitt in 2022 to study the impacts of hydrogen
on existing natural gas delivery systems. That work provides
valuable benchmarks for this multi-phase pilot.
Turquoise hydrogen may solve multiple challenges that have kept
hydrogen from large-scale adoption. By extracting the carbon from
natural gas as a solid material, greenhouse gas emissions that are
typically associated with conventional hydrogen production can be
entirely prevented. These solid carbon products, such as carbon
black and graphene, would be sold to offset the cost of
hydrogen fuel. H Quest’s distributed modular package reduces the
need for and costs of transportation and infrastructure upgrades
required to deliver the fuel to the customer, and may in some cases
even eliminate them altogether. This changes the financial model to
make hydrogen energy competitive with standard natural gas and
other alternatives.
“We appreciate the support and contributions from Peoples that
allows us to pilot our system at a prospective customer’s
facility,” said H Quest CEO and Founder George Skoptsov. “This
pilot is instrumental in demonstrating that our microwave pyrolysis
technology can help the natural gas industry to significantly
reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions while creating valuable,
in-demand products that change the calculus for hydrogen
energy.”
In conjunction with the operational testing in McKeesport,
Pitt’s material scientists will evaluate the influence of hydrogen
blends on the integrity of Peoples’ commonly used pipeline material
in a controlled environment. Pitt will test H2–natural gas blends
ranging from 5 – 20% hydrogen to see how each interacts with
different pipeline materials. The ultimate goal: providing low-cost
energy that is just as safe and reliable as natural gas, but with
reduced emissions.
“This is a special opportunity to conduct materials testing
under the practical conditions provided by this H2 demonstration
facility,” said Dr. Brian Gleeson, Professor and Chair of the
Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department at Pitt.
“The results will guide materials selection for the safe and
long-term delivery of H2–natural gas blends to Peoples’ customers
in the future.”
For more about Peoples’ efforts in hydrogen and an in-depth
video explanation of the collaboration between Peoples, Pitt and H
Quest, visit www.Peoples-Gas.com/hydrogen.
About Peoples Natural Gas
Peoples, an Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) company, provides
clean, safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to
approximately 740,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania
and Kentucky. Peoples is committed to its customers, its employees,
the environment, and to the regions it serves.
About Essential Utilities
Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, clean,
reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals,
families, and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater
and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth,
operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier
employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve and
are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600
acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.
Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, Essential serves
approximately 5.5 million people across 9 states. Essential is one
of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service
and natural gas providers in the U.S.
About H Quest
H Quest provides decarbonization solutions and produces zero
carbon emissions products by economically converting natural gas
into hydrogen and valuable carbon solids. The Company is based in
Pittsburgh and targets commercial deployment of its systems in
early 2025.
About the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of
Engineering
The University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering is
one of the oldest engineering programs in the U.S. and excels in
basic and applied research with focus areas in sustainability,
energy systems, advanced manufacturing, bioengineering, micro- and
nano-systems, computational modeling, and advanced materials
development. More than 210 faculty members serve nearly 3,600
undergraduate, graduate and PhD students across six departments:
bioengineering, chemical and petroleum, civil and environmental,
electrical and computer, industrial, and mechanical and materials
science.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
including, among others: the potential for the project to provide a
breakthrough for hydrogen as economic, zero-emission energy source
and that “turquoise hydrogen” may solve multiple challenges that
have prevented hydrogen from large scale adoption. There are
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements including; the success of the project and other factors
discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information
regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Essential
Utilities business, please refer to Essential Utilities annual,
quarterly and other SEC filings. Essential Utilities is not under
any obligation — and expressly disclaims any such obligation — to
update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise.
WTRGG
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240610258169/en/
Peoples/Essential Media Contact: Nick Paradise
External Communications Manager Media Hotline: 1.877.325.3477
Nick.Paradise@Peoples-Gas.com
Essential Investor Contact: Brian Dingerdissen Vice
President, IR and Treasurer O: 610.645.1191
BJDingerdissen@Essential.co
H Quest Media Contact: Haley Norton Manager,
Operations and People 330.703.4319 haley.norton@h-quest.com
Pitt Swanson School of Engineering Contact: Paul Kovach
University of Pittsburgh 412-624-0265 paulkovach@pitt.edu
Grafico Azioni Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG)
Storico
Da Gen 2025 a Feb 2025
Grafico Azioni Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG)
Storico
Da Feb 2024 a Feb 2025
