Wyoming

Blue hydrogen could be Wyoming's net-zero solution, study suggests

Published

1 year ago

October 21, 2024

Blue hydrogen could be Wyoming's net-zero solution, study suggests

LARAMIE, Wyo. — As global needs for more environmentally sustainable energy solutions grow, Wyoming’s chief industry, energy extraction, is at danger of being left to dry. However, a new study published by University of Wyoming researchers theorizes that the state might find its solution in hydrogen.

The study, authored here in Wyoming by a range of contributors from UW and state community colleges, suggests that a possible solution for Wyoming becoming a net-zero emissions economy lies in the often environmentally scrutinized natural gas industry.

Blue hydrogen is an energy resource sourced from natural gas production using a process called steam methane reforming that would be paired with carbon capture and storage. Like natural gas itself, blue hydrogen has a large range of electrical and energy uses. Importantly, it is much cleaner than pure natural gas.

The study then suggests that Wyoming could use the resource as its key to staying at the forefront of the country’s energy economy while still prioritizing net-zero emissions goals.

How does steam methane reforming work?

According to the United States Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, SMR is an energy production process that attaches itself to already existing natural gas production infrastructure.

Natural gas’ primary composition is methane, which is made of carbon and hydrogen molecules. By heating methane gas through thermal processes like steam power, the gas breaks up into its primary components.

Methane (CH4) contains more hydrogen than carbon, but carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, are still produced nonetheless. According to the study, SMR paired with carbon capture would alleviate greenhouse gas production during this process.

Notably, blue hydrogen is not actually the cleanest form of hydrogen gas production. Another process called renewable-powered electrolysis produces a cleaner form of hydrogen gas referred to as green hydrogen. However, the study authors point out that the production cost of green hydrogen is much higher than its blue counterpart and is less feasible for the state to produce en mass.

Wyoming’s unique position; what to gain

According to the study, Wyoming especially lends itself to being a potential key player in the production of the resource for a number of reasons. For one, blue hydrogen production runs on extant natural gas infrastructure, which Wyoming has. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming reports that in 2022, the state had around 17,800 gas producing wells.

A pro-energy regulatory environment that the state has fostered over the years is also an attractive factor to the industry, the study authors suggest. The study points to legislation such as the state’s Low-Carbon Energy Standards as being favorable for the resource’s growth here in the Cowboy State.

Federal tax incentives laid out by the Inflation Reduction Act would furthermore economically benefit the state if blue hydrogen production was kickstarted here.

Another potential benefit to this extraction method would be how it could stimulate the workforce economy within the state. At a time where the energy industry is often at odds with the federal regulatory environment, a new perspective on energy production could keep students studying here in Wyoming and getting oil and gas jobs in-state.

Researcher and UW Hydrogen Energy Research Center Director Eugene Holubnyak said in a UW Institutional Communications release that the benefits to Wyoming citizens was a factor in the paper.

“This study really allowed us to incorporate the views of the community colleges and explore some of the economic incentives and workforce training opportunities for a natural gas-based, low-carbon hydrogen industry,” Holubnyak said.

Resource and infrastructure requirements

Where it gets complicated is that coupling carbon capture and storage with MSR in hydrogen gas production is costly and sucks up water resources.

Hydrogen gas production isn’t an unheard of process. Currently, according to the study authors, 95% of the country’s hydrogen is produced through SMR. However, all of that is done so without the additional process of storing the carbon byproducts. Hydrogen produced this way, in keeping with the color trend, is called gray hydrogen.

Blue hydrogen production is 55% more expensive overall and increases water withdrawal intensity by 87%. The decision to prioritize blue hydrogen over gray hydrogen or natural gas would therefore be a weighty one.

Using National Energy Technology Laboratory assessments, adjusting them to the Wyoming economy and then factoring in the possible benefits from IRA tax credits, the authors did find that the state could be in a beneficial position if it began implementing plant-scale hydrogen production.

Put to an actual number, the study suggests that the state could up to $2 per kilogram of low-carbon hydrogen if captured carbon byproduct is properly stored in saline reservoirs. With the tax credits that would subsequently follow, the state would also earn $85 per metric ton of carbon dioxide captured.

Not dismissing the economic potential of green hydrogen, which sells for at least $3 per kilogram, the study authors say both could ultimately have a solid future in Wyoming.

“As Wyoming has abundant natural gas and wind resources, blue and green hydrogen can be options in the near and long terms to create new jobs and diversify the state’s energy-driven economy, respectively,” according to the study.

Source link

Wyoming

(PHOTOS) Casper Holistic Expo packs the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds

Published

11 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

(PHOTOS) Casper Holistic Expo packs the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds

CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.

Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.

The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.

“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”

Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.

“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”

The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.

“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”

There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.

“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”

Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”

Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.

“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”

That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.

“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”

The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.

Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:

Source link

Wyoming

Wyoming teen discovers rare and ancient megalodon shark tooth off Florida coast

Published

23 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming teen discovers rare and ancient megalodon shark tooth off Florida coast

A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.

Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.

Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.

Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.

Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.

A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida. Fossil Junkies

Diver wearing an orange mask holding a large fossilized shark tooth. — Aiden Andrews, 16, celebrated with his father after making the remarkable discovery. Fossil Junkies

Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.

And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.

According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.

Source link

Wyoming

Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September

Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.

The mission of the IWLA:

To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature

The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.

Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.

Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.

April 2026

Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:

May 2026

June 2026

July 2026

Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:

August 2026

September 2026

16 Types Of Hikes Explained

7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming

There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.

Source link