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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Nuclear-powered clean hydrogen facility begins production in US
15/3/2023
A new facility has opened in the US aiming to demonstrate the value of producing hydrogen with nuclear energy to help address the climate crisis.
Hydrogen production has begun at a 1 MW demonstration-scale, nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility at Constellation’s Nine Mile Point nuclear plant in Oswego, New York, US. The facility, which received funding of $5.8mn from the US Department of Energy (DOE) last year, is thought to be the first of its kind in the country and aims to help demonstrate the potential for hydrogen to power a clean economy.
The clean hydrogen generation system operating at Nine Mile Point uses 1.25 MWh of zero carbon energy to produce 560 kg/d of clean hydrogen, more than enough to meet the plant’s operational hydrogen use, says Constellation. The company hopes it will help set the stage for possible large-scale deployments at other clean energy centres in its nuclear fleet, coupled with clean hydrogen production with storage and other on-site uses.
Commenting on the news, Joe Dominguez, President and Chief Executive Officer, Constellation, says: ‘Hydrogen will be an indispensable tool in solving the climate crisis, and Nine Mile Point is going to show the world that nuclear power is the most efficient and cost-effective way to make it from a carbon-free resource. In partnership with DOE and others, we see this technology creating a pathway to decarbonising industries that remain heavily reliant on fossil fuels, while creating clean energy jobs and strengthening domestic energy security.’
As part of its broader decarbonisation strategy, Constellation is currently working with public and private entities representing each phase in the hydrogen value chain to pursue development of regional hydrogen production and distribution hubs. It has committed to invest $900mn over the next two years for commercial clean hydrogen production using nuclear energy.
Dr Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, DOE, concludes: ‘This accomplishment tangibly demonstrates that our nation’s existing reactor fleet can produce clean hydrogen today. DOE is proud to support cost-shared projects like this to deliver affordable clean hydrogen. The investments we’re starting to make now through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will even further expand the hydrogen market to create new economic and environmental benefits for nuclear energy.’
