Emerson Technologies joins SoCalGas in clean energy for H2

Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) has selected Emerson’s digital technologies, software and services to demonstrate the resiliency and reliability of its new [H2] Innovation Experience in Southern California.

One of the first microgrid projects of its kind in the United States, the [H2] Innovation Experience is a technology demonstration that aims to show how carbon-free gas made from renewable electricity can be used in pure form or as a blend to fuel clean energy systems of the future.

The project features a nearly 2,000-square-foot home outfitted with solar panels, a power storage battery system, an electrolyzer to convert solar energy to renewable hydrogen, and a fuel cell to supply electricity. The hydrogen produced at the site will also be blended with utility-provided natural gas and used in the home’s heat pump HVAC unit, water heater, clothes dryer and stove.

In addition to deep domain expertise in hydrogen, Emerson provides its DeltaV™ advanced process control system, safety instrumented systems, electronic marshalling technology, instrumentation, final control elements and analytics solutions to optimize the performance of the SoCalGas [H2] Innovation Experience.

Neil Navin, VP at SoCalGas, said, “Residential neighborhood-scale facilities, like the [H2] Innovation Experience, that are capable of generating, storing and transmitting electricity with zero carbon emissions will be a critical component for meeting sustainable power demand,”

Mark Bulanda, Executive President at Emerson, said, “We have worked on a variety of hydrogen projects globally, applying our expertise and technologies to automate hydrogen production and consumption, making the promise of renewable energy a reality.”