Hydrogen Blending: Protecting Against Manufacturer Liability
By blending hydrogen, which contains no carbon, with natural gas, the carbon content of the fuel is decreased, and emissions per given volume of fuel consumed are lessened.
The concern over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuels leading to climate warming (aka the greenhouse effect) has pushed interest in fuels that contain less carbon. Just as a greenhouse traps heat, the GHGs in the atmosphere absorb heat from the sun and release it back into the atmosphere. By blending hydrogen, which contains no carbon, with natural gas, the carbon content of the fuel is decreased, and emissions per given volume of fuel consumed are lessened. Hydrogen blending (HB) is a time-sensitive topic with significant impact on the boiler industry. HB is thought to reduce GHG emissions, especially if the added hydrogen is produced from biomass, wind power, and/or nuclear power.
Natural gas utilities are interested in HB’s ability to reduce the carbon intensity of the fuel they are delivering. Reducing GHG emissions to address global warming has been deemed “one of the most urgent challenges faced by humanity.” The media has begun to cover HB and its impact on, and relationship to, climate change.