1. H2 in the Pipes: The Natural Gas System as a Hydrogen Enabler
Anna Chittum
May 20, 2019

2. NW Natural Gas System 160 year old Oregon company
Serve over 2.1 Million Oregonians – more than half the state’s population
Tightest system in the country 1

3. NW Natural Gas System
How is the gas system relevant to hydrogen production?
Highly flexible sink
Mist Storage: 16 BCF of storage capacity
Equivalent to 20% of ALL the gas we sell for our sales customers in a year
22,000 miles of pipe that can operate within pressure bands (as opposed to electric system)
Natural gas utilities in Oregon will likely be operating under policy and regulatory frameworks that allow them to procure renewable gas for their customers at a premium rate; renewable gas is inclusive of renewable hydrogen
Long term contracts and interconnection

4. Impact of New Policy Oregon H.B. 2020: The “cap-and-trade” bill
Passed out of its policy committee last week
Gas utilities can:
Buy renewable H2
Invest in H2 fueling infrastructure
Oregon S.B. 98: The optional renewable gas program
Passed out of its policy committee earlier this session
Procure renewable gas – inclusive of renewable hydrogen – toward optional volumetric targets
2025: 10% : 20% : 30%

5. Future Curtailment Challenges
Source: E3 Pacific Northwest Low Carbon Scenario Analysis
Source: E3 Pacific Northwest Low Carbon Scenario Analysis

6. Seasonal Energy Storage Opportunities
Source: European Power to Gas/DNV GL
Pacific Northwest energy needs are seasonal and concentrated in the winter
Long-term storage:
Pumped storage: $2,875/kW
Power to gas: $800/kW fully installed and coming down
Source: Dragoon 2018

7. Is Hydrogen Safe?

8. Is Hydrogen Safe?
Hawaii Gas: has about 15% hydrogen blended into gas system
U.K: HyDeploy at Keele University to test 20% hydrogen this summer
U.K: H21 Project with Northern Gas Networks to deploy a 100% hydrogen gas grid in Leeds
Several hydrogen safety efforts at national labs in U.S. and other research entities (GTI)
Canadian Gas Association literature review on hydrogen blending

9. What is NW Natural Doing?
2000: completely eliminated cast iron pipes
2016: finished polyethylene pipe replacements
2017: Low Carbon Pathway established
2017: Commissioned white paper on P2G from Flink Energy
2018: committed R&D funds to dedicated research around leak detection and odorant with Oregon State University
2018: commissioned Deep Decarbonization study with E3
2019: submitting federal grant proposal to deploy pilot project, including safety work and pipeline blending research

10. Pilot Project in Eugene
First power-to-gas project to generate renewable hydrogen and inject into commercial distribution line in United States
Install first public hydrogen fueling station in Oregon
Explore specific hydrogen safety issues, integration with renewable resources
Partners are many, but include the Eugene Water and Electric Board, Hitachi Zosen Inova, and Oregon State University
Goal: show how integration of gas and electric systems allows for greater flexibility and utilization of renewable resources