Small California town could be a testing ground for hydrogen blending fuel project

Hydrogen blending is the process through which hydrogen is gradually introduced to a gas distribution system, blending with the natural gas. The project is being proposed by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), which has said the effort will support California’s climate and clean air goals.

“This project would offer a real-world environment to better understand how clean hydrogen and natural gas can be safely delivered to customers in the future,” the company has stated. “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.”

SoCalGas would begin by introducing hydrogen concentrations of 0.1% into the town’s gas lines, which it will gradually increase up to 5%. Active blending in Orange Cove expected to last around 18 months, according to SoCalGas. The project is now pending approval by the California Public Utilities Commission, a process that can take a year, according to The Fresno Bee. Once approved, SoCalGas has said the plant could be up and running in 18 months.

The project has not been without controversy, with critics questioning the decision to conduct the experiment in a vulnerable community such as Orange Cove, where the poverty rate is 47%, according to a report by Capital and Main. SoCalGas’s proposal had previously been rejected by notably wealthier and whiter suburban communities in Colorado and Oregon, Capital and Main reported.

Hydrogen poses some additional potential health risks when compared with natural gas, including being more explosive when exposed to air, according to Fast Company. It is also more prone to leaks. SoCalGas said it would “employ extensive safety measures” during the project, including leak surveys and detection technology, safety assessments, end-use equipment surveys, education and training.

In a recent letter to The Fresno Bee, Orange Cove Mayor Diana Silva defended the town’s decision to court and approve the project in its community and denied any potential negative health effects.

“As a steward of the city, it is my responsibility to seek out projects that will provide ongoing and long-term economic and environmental benefits to the residents of Orange Cove,” Silva wrote. “That’s why we sought out this opportunity; we’re proud to welcome this hydrogen blending demonstration project.”