GHD announced a partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) to provide preliminary engineering design services for a groundbreaking H₂/natural gas blending project, named Hydrogen to Infinity (H2∞). This world-class project, being developed in Lodi, California, will address a key data gap in blending H₂ into high-pressure natural gas transmission systems.

The GHD and PG&E partnership represents the nation’s most comprehensive end-to-end H₂ feasibility pilot, which will advance studies of hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel and renewable energy source for not only PG&E customers but the global natural gas industry.
“GHD has been a leader internationally in the hydrogen space, which allows us to leverage our expertise to help develop and drive this groundbreaking project,” said Kim Domptail, GHD business group leader. “Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in unlocking decarbonization pathways as the zero-emissions energy commodity of the future. We believe hydrogen will not just transform energy systems, it will transform economies and communities.”

H2∞ is a large-scale demonstration project that will blend H₂ and natural gas in a stand-alone transmission pipeline system. It will enable GHD, PG&E and the University of California at Riverside to conduct a complete study of different levels of hydrogen blends in a multi-feed, multi-directional natural gas pipeline system that is independent from its current natural gas transmission system. A world-class training and education facility is also part of the project.

The dedicated facility will allow for a controlled and safe study of H₂ injection, storage, and combustion of different hydrogen blends in a variety of end uses. The Northern California Power Agency’s Lodi Energy Center power plant is located adjacent to H2∞ and will accept a hydrogen-natural gas blend for electric generation in the Siemens Energy 5000F4 Gas Turbine.

Both projects mark the starting point for the creation of the Northern California Hydrogen Hub, which is under development.

“This project and the Northern California Hydrogen Hub represent a powerful, impactful, holistic solution to energy and climate change challenges,” added Fred Taylor, project director and GHD Hydrogen Lead. “At complex intersections such as these, GHD can deliver integrated solutions making energy, water and communities sustainable for generations to come.”