The Wyoming Energy Authority has announced which projects will receive funds to develop a design for or construct a pilot project demonstrating hydrogen production and/or use. The amount approved for funding totals $1,482,657.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that can be derived from renewables (green hydrogen) or fossil fuels like natural gas (blue hydrogen).
Black Hills Energy requested and was approved to receive $464,923 for two feasibility studies: a natural gas-fed blue hydrogen gas generator with carbon capture and a green hydrogen gas generator fed with renewable energy and water. The funds would also pay for a conceptual engineering assessment of equipment modifications of a specific combustion turbine to accommodate a blended fuel mix of hydrogen and methane.
Williams Companies will receive $997,734 for a feasibility study in partnership with the University of Wyoming to evaluate water access and compatibility, alongside asset integrity, in support of green hydrogen production and transport around Wamsutter and Opal, Wyoming.
Jonah Energy will receive $20,000 for a plan in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to create green hydrogen and renewable natural gas throughbiomethanation - a process of combining organic waste materials in a gas.
Anja Bendel, program director for the Wyoming Energy Authority, said a selection committee made up of two WEA individuals and two external individuals considered 10 proposals.
"We looked at the scientific merit, at the feasibility, the benefits to Wyoming, the economic impact," she said.
Bendel added the goal of the program is to get things off the whiteboard as it relates to hydrogen and move things closer to commercialization.
"We wanted to be able to start moving the conversation forward, start getting the industry better situated in Wyoming. So really, the end goal is to have a robust hydrogen economy in Wyoming."
Funding primarily comes from the Economic Development Funds - Innovation Subaccount. The Jonah Energy project will receive funding directly from the Wyoming Energy Authority.
