Davis-Besse moving forward with hydrogen production pilot project

CARROLL TOWNSHIP — Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station is moving ahead with a pilot hydrogen production project that's slated to launch in 2023.

Energy Harbor, the owner of the Ottawa County nuclear plant, announced last week that the company and the Department of Energy (DOE) have entered into final agreements to continue the development of a zero-carbon hydrogen production demonstration project at Davis-Besse in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Xcel Energy, and Arizona Public Service.

Chris Singerling, director of the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation, said Thursday the project represented a great opportunity for the plant and showed that the Davis-Besse facility was capable of producing different forms of beneficial energy sources.

'Unique and important asset' to community

“This new venture makes Davis-Besse a very unique and important asset to our county and state. It’s one of only two facilities generating Ohio’s largest supply of carbon-free energy, while also producing an important commodity to our state’s resurging manufacturing sector. It also helps ensure Energy Harbor remains one of Ottawa County’s largest employers, ” Singerling told the News-Messenger.

According to an Energy Harbor release, Davis-Besse was selected by the DOE due to its ability to provide a carbon-free source of power, strong operational track record and proximity to the water required to produce hydrogen.

In addition, the Davis-Besse plant is close to key hydrogen consumers in the manufacturing and transportation sectors of the market.

The DOE-funded pilot project will demonstrate the technical feasibility and economic viability of a hybrid hydrogen production system in order to facilitate large-scale commercialization.

Plant to produce 100% carbon-free hydrogen

Energy Harbor's Davis-Besse Power Station will provide the carbon-free nuclear power to a hydrogen production unit that will utilize Low Temperature Electrolysis (LTE) using Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) technology to produce 100% carbon-free hydrogen.

Engineering and site preparations are underway to operate the nuclear hydrogen production system in 2023.

David Hamilton, Energy Harbor's executive vice president and chief nuclear officer, said in the release, "We are committed to working alongside the DOE and INL to demonstrate nuclear's ability to provide clean, carbon-free hydrogen to the manufacturing and transportation sectors. Zero-carbon hydrogen is an important component of the energy transition currently underway."

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, announced in September 2019 that the U.S. Department of Energy would invest more than $9 million in a new nuclear technology project at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station under the Advanced Reactor Development Pathway Program.

According to Kaptur, the proposed project would install an electrolysis unit at Davis-Besse to demonstrate an innovative hybrid energy system.

Hydrogen to be used in oil refining, fertilizer production

The project will create a pilot program allowing for hydrogen to be produced at the plant.

The United States produces more than 10 million tons of hydrogen, nearly one-seventh of the global supply, primarily for oil refining and fertilizer production.

Singerling said there's a definite need for hydrogen in the industrial world.

He said Cleveland-Cliffs was one company that would potentially benefit from the pilot Davis-Besse hydrogen production program.

According to Kaptur's office, hydrogen infrastructure includes more than 1,600 miles of hydrogen pipeline and a growing network of stations across the region. 

The cost of the project, designated as the “LWR Integrated Energy Systems Interface Technology Development & Demonstration,” would be shared among federal agencies, industry-led teams, and public and private laboratories.

In addition to DOE's funding, non-DOE partners would invest almost $2.3 million.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7