CenterPoint Energy launches green hydrogen project

Minnesota-based CenterPoint Energy announced Friday that its green hydrogen project in Minneapolis is operational.

The green hydrogen project uses renewable electricity to split hydrogen from water, blended at low concentrations with natural gas in the utility’s distribution system.

“CenterPoint Energy is committed to evaluating innovative solutions that reduce carbon emissions and advance a clean energy future,” said Scott Doyle, Executive Vice President, Utility Operations. “With this pilot project, we are exploring the potential of green hydrogen as a safe, zero-carbon energy resource that can be delivered through our local gas distribution systems to benefit both our customers and the environment.”

CenterPoint is one of the first U.S. natural gas utilities to produce and add green hydrogen to its distribution system. The company said that green hydrogen is potentially an important zero-carbon supplement to conventional natural gas because there are no carbon emissions from either production or end-use.

CenterPoint, which serves more than 900,000 residential and business customers in Minnesota, said the project’s goal was to gain operational experience with the technology and learn how to integrate it effectively into the local natural gas distribution system. The project’s one-megawatt electrolyzer is powered by renewable electricity and can produce up to 60 Dekatherms of hydrogen gas per day, using approximately two gallons of highly purified water per minute.

By adding up to five percent of green hydrogen into the natural gas, CenterPoint said it expects to avoid approximately 1,200 tons of CO2 emissions per year.