The Anschutz Corporation has made the first substantial private investment in support of the Hydrogen Energy Research Center, to be run through the University of Wyoming's School of Energy Resources.
The center aims to advance research in key aspects of hydrogen production, delivery and deployment. Dr. Holly Krutka, executive director of the School of Energy Resources, said it will focus on all stages of research, but the goal is applied research and getting projects up and running.
Krutka says hydrogen would be a natural fit for Wyoming's energy production as there is significant existing infrastructure well-suited to launch a hydrogen economy. The center will be part of making Wyoming a hub for the resource.
"We're exclusively focused on driving a new hydrogen industry in Wyoming. So, that's the goal of the center," said Krutka.
The Anschutz Corporation is a private holding company with a variety of investments including in concessions, ranches, and energy. Its subsidiaries are developing both theChokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project and theTransWest Express Transmission Project.
Those two projects are at the heart of an expanded initiative called the Wyoming Clean Power Center. It's being touted as an integrated green energy hub for not just renewable electricity, but clean power-produced products.
"The idea would be using the wind power from the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project to help produce green hydrogen and potentially other clean power produced products like green ammonia," said Kara Choquette, director of communications and government relations for the Power Company of Wyoming.
While some research is already happening at the School of Energy Resources related to hydrogen, the goal now is finding a suitable director to lead the Hydrogen Energy Research Center.
The amount of Anschutz' donation is not public.