Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities join Kentucky’s study of low-carbon hydrogen

Interested in hydrogen as a low-carbon solution for future use, Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities (KU) this week joined the study efforts embodied in the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Hydrogen Hub.

“We believe because of our low-cost energy, abundant natural resources, and leadership in energy issues, Kentucky is one of the best candidates to be a hydrogen hub,” Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman said. “We appreciate LG&E and KU’s efforts to support this important clean energy initiative.”

LG&E and KU are part of the same parent company, PPL. PPL also happens to be an anchor sponsor of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Low-Carbon Resource Initiative (LCRI) that seeks to accelerate the development of a low-carbon initiative for the industry to benefit technologies and energy carriers – such as hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels.

According to Lonnie Bellar, the COO of both LG&E and KU, this fact made Kentucky’s hydrogen hub efforts a sound choice.

“Joining the cabinet and others across Kentucky to help promote hydrogen is a natural fit for our companies,” Bellar said. “In conjunction with our parent company, PPL, our goal is to reach net zero by 2050, and we know this will not be easy. Research is going to be key to making this goal a reality.”

Kentucky seeks to become a hydrogen hub while the U.S. Department of Energy has announced intentions to create several such hubs throughout the country, backed by federal funding. In a parallel vein, LG&E and KU have in the past worked with the University of Kentucky, the United Kingdom, and other organizations on a mix of projects, including greater integration of renewable energy and hydrogen production, CO2 capture research, and producing clean hydrogen at the same time.