UCI Hydrogen Blending

The hydrogen blending project at the University of California, Irvine could pave the way for clean renewable hydrogen in California.

college campus UC Irvine
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At the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission, SoCalGas is proposing a local demonstration project that could safely blend up to 20% clean renewable hydrogen into the natural gas system in an isolated portion of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) campus. 

To support California’s climate and clean air goals, SoCalGas is proposing a hydrogen blending demonstration project at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Anteater Recreation Center. This project will blend clean renewable hydrogen into a portion of UCI’s natural gas system and offer a real-world environment to better understand how clean renewable hydrogen and natural gas can be safely delivered to customers in the future. This is part of a broader effort by California and utilities to develop a standard for safe hydrogen blending, which could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. The data gathered from this demonstration can also help assess how to speed the development and deployment of related advanced technologies key to the state’s climate and clean air goals.


Project Overview:

  • Project will begin demonstrating a 5% blend, gradually increasing up to 20% into SoCalGas’s infrastructure that will serve the Anteater Recreation Center (ARC) at UCI.
  • The hydrogen blend will be used for light commercial equipment.
  • Active blending expected to last approximately 18 months on the campus.


How Hydrogen Blending Works
 

how hydrogen blending works illustration

 

UC Irvine Project Could Pave the Way for Clean Renewable Hydrogen in California

SoCalGas along with three other California utilities, filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop a series of projects to demonstrate blending clean renewable hydrogen into the natural gas system is a safe and effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and begin to scale up hydrogen as laid out in California's climate plan.

SoCalGas Has a Robust Safety Plan for UC Irvine

We have safely and reliably delivered energy to our customers for over 150 years. Our safety plan includes the following measures, which we regularly use throughout our gas system and at the [H2} Innovation Experience in Downey:
•    Appliance inspections to confirm end use equipment is in safe, working order
•    Regular leak checks to the gas system before and throughout the project, and make any repairs, if necessary
•    Installation of remote monitors and automatic shutdowns at the start of the project for leak detection and response
•    Work closely with local fire department and university staff and provide educational briefings for hydrogen safety procedures and develop emergency response plans
 

Additional Resources

Hydrogen Blending Overview 
UCI H2 Blending Fact Sheet 
UC Irvine Blending Demonstration Website