Washington wants to plug in to the next thing in fuel: hydrogen | Crosscut

Ivory mentioned nearly all of potential future contracts for the PUD’s hydrogen gas will probably embrace the metal and ammonia industries. The plant is at the moment designed to supply two tons of hydrogen a day. The PUD just lately purchased an additional 90 acres subsequent to the plant’s 40-acre website to arrange for future growth if wanted. “We don’t have any contracts in place, however we now have a whole lot of curiosity,” he mentioned.

Among the PUD’s hydrogen is meant for hydrogen-fueled autos, Ivory added.

Proper now, Washington is in a “chicken-or-egg” scenario with hydrogen-fueled autos. Hydrogen vehicles want fueling stations to justify their purchases, and the fueling stations want hydrogen autos to justify their set up. There aren’t any identified hydrogen-fueled vehicles within the state, and there solely two Washington hydrogen-fueling stations — in Chehalis and East Wenatchee — within the works.

Final yr, Washington’s Legislature handed a invoice to arrange an eight-year pilot program by which the 6.8% gross sales tax on vehicles shall be minimize in half for the primary 650 hydrogen gas cell autos bought within the state. Present costs for the vehicles vary from $34,000 to $58,000, based on producers’ figures. After eight years, the exemption could be reevaluated. Gross sales tax reductions would apply solely to new autos.

In the meantime, the Port of Seattle is learning if and the way it might do the identical factor because the Douglas County PUD, for the reason that port desires to trim its carbon footprint and be a participant within the fledgling hydrogen provide economic system, mentioned Ryan Calkins, president of the port’s board of commissioners.

There’s some urgency for the port to get into this subject, as medium and heavy vans, plus ships, are more likely to change to hydrogen fuels. “We actually must construct this quickly,” Calkins mentioned.

For instance, a handful of hydrogen-fueled ships, principally ferries, are actually in use in northern Europe and Japan. Calkins believes the transport business, which accounts for 3% of greenhouse gasoline, might progressively develop extra into utilizing hydrogen as a gas, which might imply these vessels will use ports the place hydrogen is saved.

The Port of Seattle and a few companions are conducting two research on whether or not it ought to get into this enterprise and the way, the place to find services, prices, potential prospects and storage. The federal authorities has offered $2.12 million to the port for this analysis. The port is one yr right into a two-year research with companions Seattle Metropolis Gentle, the Pacific Northwest Nationwide Laboratory and the Sandia Nationwide Laboratory.

The second two-year research, by the port and Seattle Metropolis Gentle, is anticipated to start quickly. It would have a look at hydrogen storage points and security dangers. The port doesn’t have any grasp budgets, timetables or different plans mapped out for potential hydrogen services. “We don’t have a particular plan nor timeline. That is actually simply step one,” mentioned David Fujimoto, senior environmental program supervisor on the port.

One thing to recollect: Hydrogen can explode and it’s extremely flammable.

The poster boy for the hazards of hydrogen is the Hindenburg, the German zeppelin with a hydrogen cell that exploded in New Jersey in 1937, killing 36 folks in a fiery crash.

No less than 15 hydrogen explosions have occurred since 1999, together with eight in the USA. The newest American hydrogen explosions occurred in 2020 at gas manufacturing crops in Texas and North Carolina, with the causes nonetheless below investigation. The newest deadly hydrogen accident in the USA came about with 4 staff killed in a Wisconsin industrial plant in 2019.

Issues of safety on the Port of Seattle and East Wenatchee shall be analyzed, officers at each initiatives agreed.

Ivory famous: “You’ve obtained to ensure the entire plant and the folks within the plant are protected.”